Thanks for the compliment, Yseult. Hope I want disappoint you with this:
Summarizing:
1. I do not have much opinion on D.Duarte Nuno.
I find him a self-effaced prince, a 3rd son that was thrown to the limelight due to circumstances he could not control.
He hardly had any intervention, but let's face it, several pretendants acted likewise.
Think of the french pretendants, f.i.
Either one agrees or likes the late Count of Paris one must recognize he was a firm and active leader up to a certain point, when he realized (some would say he misinterpreted) de Gaulle's intentions to have him succeding him were not going to happen.
His father, however, the Duke of Guise, never showed much interest in politics or in the cause, and, as soon as Henri became major, gladly passed him the burdeon of the representation of the House of France.
But one thing you must concede D.Duarte Nuno.
He was not ungrateful or had a double face.
When the Banning Law was revoked, Salazar made clear he would not be allowed to "make waves" ;-) and be the center of any political party or association that might jeopardise his own status.
If at a certain time, influenced by Franco, as a monarchist himself Salazar might have considered to reinstate D.Duarte Nuno in the throne, he backed up, not much impressed by the Prince's qualities, and, let's not forget it, by the intransigence of Marechal Carmona, who thought he would be a better head of state.
And, as you must know, he was re-elected more times than the Constitution allowed it...
D.Duarte Nuno was born in a foreign country, within a family living in exile for almost 100 years.
Naturally, when Salazar waved him the possibility of returning and establish in his ancestors' country, he welcomed the offer.
He did not jave the stamina, charisma and the internal support of a Count of Barcelona, but that was his nature, and he cannot be blamed for it.
More than a Salazar supporter, he was grateful to the man that allowed him to return and raise his family in Portugal.
And he kept his promise of non-involvement.
All I read about him showed a very amiable and educated Prince, but definitely not fit for the role of Pretendant.
2. D.Duarte Pio - I am sure you've heard him often praising King Juan Carlos and the "revolution" he operated from Francoism towards Democracy, and that JC would be a model to him, should he ever be called to the throne.
I hope you don't consider JC a bad example on democratic terms...
3. D.Maria II - she was a brat ! :-)
A spoilt child, that grew alone, in the middle of teachers she twisted as she liked.
Orphan from Mother at a tender age, with a distant Father who spent his times with cabinet ministers and his mistresses - not necessarily in this order :-), she spent much of her childhood without what one could call a proper family
She was an impulsive woman who acted with her heart, not with her head, for the dispair of her Ministers.
Read Q.Victoria correspondence on her. Despite being good friends, Victoria never ceased to criticize her.
And despite having the doubtful title and record of "the only reigning queen that died in her post" - that is, giving birth, here again her stubborness and misled intuition speak for her:
On her last pregnancies, the Queen had been advised to ease her gargantuan apetite and try some regime/diet.
She would not listen to her doctors and ate what she wanted, when she wanted, becoming incredible fat, which of course was bad for her health and for her baby's.
At the eve of her last pregnancy, she insisted on going to Sintra and ride a mule - the most advisable exercise for a preagnant woman.
Naturally she felt bad and troubles soon arrived.
Q.Victoria sent her that novelty of clorophorm for when the birth would occurr.
In a grand manner, she refused and History would retain her phrase "I die in my post", which we'll never know if it is true or legend.
I know she appointed D.Fernando as head of the Army, but let's face it, her first husband - who had had a military career before his wedding (opposite to D.Fernando ! - had hold that rank so it was natural the D.Fernando would step on his shoes.
4. D.Pedro V He was 16 when his Mother died.
I don't dispute she was a devoted Mother, as well as D.Fernando was the best of Fathers, but he had a very difficult nature.
Unlike his brother D.Luis, he despised the company of men of his age and women, being rather misogyn.
Alexandre Herculano called him "My Old friend", as he hat the temper of an older man. Surely "older" than his bon-vivant Father ;-) whose behaviour he criticised all the time.
You say the press at the time called D.Pedro and his siblings the new "Ínclita Geração".
That can only be a very very very much flattering press, eager to please the RF.
D.Luis was hardly a scholar (although late in his life he translated Shakespeare) and little do we know about the younger princes D.João, D.Fernando or D.Augusto. João and Fernando died too soon to proove worthy of the title, and we all know what Augusto unfortunately was like . So I won't buy the "Ínclita Geração" title as the one that would fit was D.Pedro.
There is an interesting book on the trips D.Pedro and D.Luis made during D.Fernando's Regency.
Opposite to D.Pedro, who spent his time visiting Museums, factories and all the novelties that the industrial revolution brought along, D.Luis spent his time in theaters, cabarets, parties and fooling around (let's say no more); Being genuinely fond of his brother, when he candidly wanted to share with him his adventurous nights, he was swiftly criticized and sent away by a pudic big brother who despized him and his manners.
5. I agree that João Franco's dictatorship cannot be described as such in the proper way. A dictatorship with full freedom of press ?
That would only proove that there are no "mild dictatorships", either you have a "proper" one or stick to "democracy".
D.Carlos was the living (bad jeu de mots) proof that one cannot have the best of two so different systems.
Being treated in the press as he had been, he should have foreseen what was coming.
