Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil

Afonso
Prince Imperial of Brazil
Afonso at age 2 wearing the blue band of the Order of the Southern Cross, 1846
Born	(1845-02-23)23 February 1845 Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil
Died	(1847-06-11)11 June 1847 (2 years, 108 days) Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil
Burial	Convento de Santo Antônio (Convent of Saint Anthony), Rio de Janeiro
Names Afonso Pedro de Alcântara Cristiano Leopoldo Filipe Eugênio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga
House	Braganza
Father	Pedro II of Brazil
Mother	Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Dom Afonso (23 February 1845 – 11 June 1847) was the Prince Imperial and heir apparent to the throne of the Empire of Brazil. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the eldest child of Emperor Dom Pedro II and Dona Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies, and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of the House of Braganza.

Afonso died from epilepsy at the age of two, devastating the emperor. The following year, Pedro and Teresa Cristina had another son, Pedro Afonso, but he too died in infancy. After the loss of his second son, doubts grew in Pedro II's mind that the imperial system could be viable. He still had an heir in his daughter Isabel, but he was unconvinced that a female would prove to be a suitable successor. He showed less concern about the effects his policies had on the monarchy, provided his daughter Isabel with no training for her role as potential empress, and failed to cultivate her acceptance within the country's political class. Pedro II's lack of interest in protecting the imperial system ultimately led to its downfall.