Career
He is known for being executed for treason against the King. Fernando, born in 1430, was a successful young man and quickly grew popular amongst the Portuguese nobility. He was most appreciated by King Afonso V of Portugal, and always escorted the King on his different incursions into Morocco, where he participated in several conquests and expeditions.
The King, having favoured Fernando, rewarded him the title Count of Guimarães, in 1464.
This title would soon be upgraded to Duke of Guimarães. Fernando took part in the War of the Castilian Succession.
The Portuguese invaded Castile and, during the Battle of Toro, Fernando II of Braganza was responsible for the Queen's safety. When his father, Fernando I, died in 1478, Fernando inherited the various titles of his father, the most important and noteworthy being the title of Duke of Braganza.
At this time, the House of Braganza was the most powerful noble house in the Kingdom of Portugal and one of the most powerful ones in all of the Iberian Kingdoms.
When King João II succeeded his father, King Afonso V, João II sought to bring down the power of the Portuguese nobility, which had greatly flourished under Afonso V"s reign. The King heavily focused on diminishing the powers of the two most powerful noble houses in the kingdom, House of Beja and Viseu and the House of Braganza. Soon after, King João II also accused Fernando II of Braganza of high treason and had him executed in Évora in 1483.
Afterwards, the assets of the House of Braganza were confiscated and the family fled to Castile.
The family returned in 1498 and had all their property returned.