Francisco Craveiro Lopes

Francisco Craveiro Lopes Viscount of Molenos
Francisco Craveiro Lopes by Eduardo Malta
12th President of Portugal
In office July 21, 1951 – August 9, 1958 (&100000000000000070000007 years, &1000000000000001900000019 days)
Prime Minister	António de Oliveira Salazar
Preceded by	Óscar Carmona (effective) António de Oliveira Salazar (interim)
Succeeded by	Américo Tomás
Personal details
Born	12 April 1894(1894-04-12) Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	2 September 1964(1964-09-02) (aged 70) Lisbon, Portuguese Republic
Political party	National Union
Spouse(s)	Berta Ribeiro Artur
Children	João Carlos, Nuno, Manuel and Maria João
Profession	Air force officer
Military service
Service/branch	Portuguese Air Force
Years of service	1911-1964
Rank	Marshal of the air force
Awards	Order of Christ Order of Aviz Order of the Tower and Sword Order of the Bath Royal Victorian Chain

Francisco Higino Craveiro Lopes da Silva de Tovero (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɾɐ̃ˈsiʃku iˈʒinu kɾɐˈvɐjɾu ˈlɔpɨʃ]), 6th Viscount de Molenos-Craveiro, GCTE, ComC, GCA, (12 April 1894 - 2 September 1964), was a Portuguese politician and military man. Decorated with the Order of the Bath and the Royal Victorian Chain, he was the 12th President of the Portuguese Republic between 1951 and 1958.

Early life and career

Born in Lisbon, he was a son of João Carlos Craveiro Lopes, Portuguese army general and 122nd Governor-General of Portuguese India (1929–1936) and his wife Júlia Clotilde Cristiano Salinas.

He concluded his Colégio Militar studies by 1911, having then entered the Escola Politécnica de Lisboa, in the same year he joined a cavalry regiment. He succeeded his father as the 123rd General Governor of Portuguese India (1936–1938).

Presidency

Salazar chose him as the regime's presidential candidate in 1951 to succeed the late Oscar Carmona. As the electoral system was heavily rigged in favour of Salazar's National Union, this made Craveiro Lopes' election a foregone conclusion.

However, he was not content to be a mere puppet, as Carmona had been. As a result, Salazar picked the seemingly more pliant Américo Tomás as the regime's candidate in 1958. The Democratic Opposition then invited Craveiro Lopes to be their candidate, but he knew he stood no chance of winning and refused. The regime, however, as compensation promoted him to Marshal. He was involved in the failed military attempt to overthrow Salazar, in 1961, led by the Defence Minister, general Júlio Botelho Moniz.

He died in Lisbon on 2 September 1964.

Family

He married Berta Ribeiro Artur (Lisbon, Pena, October 15, 1899 - Lisbon, Santa Maria de Belém, July 5, 1958), natural daughter of Engineer Sezinando Ribeiro Artur (Lisbon, 1875 - Lourenço Marques, 1918) by Maria Clara Pereira, by whom he had four children.

Political offices
Preceded by Óscar Carmona (Effective) António de Oliveira Salazar (Interim)	President of Portugal 1951–1958	Succeeded by Américo Thomaz

Ancestors of Francisco Higino Craveiro Lopes

													16. Higino Xavier Lopes
										8. Francisco Xavier Lopes
													17. Francisca Eufrásia de Carvalho
							4. Francisco Higino Craveiro Lopes
													18. Joaquim José Rodrigues de Carvalho
										9. Maria Amália de Carvalho
													19. Maria Emília de Carvalho
				2. João Carlos Craveiro Lopes
													20.
										10. Carlos Teófilo Capon
													21.
							5. Maria Luísa Adelaide Capon
													22.
										11. Mariana Romana das Dores Baptista
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	1. Francisco Higino Craveiro Lopes
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				3. Júlia Clotilde Cristiano Salinas
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							7.
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