John IV of Portugal

John IV (1604–1656), eighth Duke of Braganza, succeeded his father Teodósio II in 1630. On 1 December 1640 the Forty Conspirators seized Lisbon and ended sixty years of Spanish rule; John was acclaimed king, opening the Portuguese Restoration War and founding the Braganza dynasty.

His troops beat Spain at Montijo in 1644, his fleets recovered Luanda in 1648 and northern Brazil from the Dutch by 1654. He was also a composer and writer on music.