View source for Mem Soares de Melo, 1st Lord de Melo

{{Infobox noble|type
| name              = Mem Soares de Melo
| title             = 1° [[Lord]] of Melo
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| spouse            = Teresa Afonso Gato
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| noble family      = Mello
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| father            = Soeiro Raimundes
| mother            = Urraca Viegas
| birth_date        = 13th century
| birth_place       = [[Kingdom of Portugal]]
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| death_date        = 13th century
| death_place       = [[Kingdom of Portugal]]
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'''Mem Soares de Melo''', 1st Lord de Melo (c. 1200 – 1262) was a Portuguese [[nobleman]] who served in the court of [[Afonso III of Portugal]].
== Biography ==
Born approximately 1200, in [[Portugal]], the son of [[Soeiro Raimundes de Riba de Vizela]] and Urraca Viegas Barroso, belonging to noble Lusitanian families.<ref>{{Citation |title=Morgados de Santa Catarina de Estremoz|year=1999 |publisher=Edições Colibri, Jan 1, 1999 |isbn=9789727720866 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=58AWAQAAIAAJ&q=Mem+Soares+de+Melo+Teresa+Afonso+Gato}}</ref> According to a prestigious Portuguese [[genealogist]], Mem Soares de Melo was a descendant of two [[Kingdom of the Visigoths|Visigoth]] kings.<ref>{{Citation |title=Edição comemorativa do cinqüentenário do Instituto Genealógico Brasileiro, 1939-1989|year=1991 |publisher=Instituto Genealógico Brasileiro, 1991 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=azcWAAAAIAAJ&q=Mem+Soares+de+Melo+descendente+do+reis}}</ref>
He was married to Teresa Afonso Gato, daughter of Affonso Pires o Gato and Urraca Fernandes de Lumiares,<ref>{{Citation |title=Corografia portuguesa, e descripçam topografica do famoso reyno de Portugal |year= 1712|publisher= by António Carvalho da Costa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W29UAAAAYAAJ&dq=Mem+Soares+de+Melo+teresa+gato&pg=PA288}}</ref> a distant descendant of [[Mendo Alão]], and his wife an [[Armenia|Armenian]] princess.<ref>{{Citation |title=Anais Das Bibliotecas E Arquivos de Portugal |year=1927 |publisher=Impr. da Universidade., 1927 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7YYXAQAAMAAJ&q=Mendo+Al%C3%A3o+Arm%C3%A9nia}}</ref>
Mem Soares de Melo was the owner of two [[Castles]] located in [[Gouveia, Portugal|Gouveia]].<ref>{{Citation |title=O combate da Campina entre Melos e Pessanhas: cenas da vida algarvia do século xvi : genealogias|year=1942 |publisher=J. Mascarenhas de Mello, 1942 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9oYvAQAAMAAJ&q=Mem+Soares+de+Melo++Gouveia}}</ref> In 1249 he participated in the conquest of [[Faro, Portugal|Faro]] by Afonso III. He held various honorary positions in his court, including as alferes-mor,<ref>{{Citation |title=Heráldica de los apellidos canarios - Volumen 2|year=1979 |publisher=Estudios Técnicos del Blasón, 1979 |isbn=9788430020003 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ihJXAAAAYAAJ&q=Mem+Soares+de+Melo+Alf%C3%A9rez+mayor}}</ref> counselor and lieutenant of Gouveia.<ref>{{Citation |title=A igreja e o clero português no contexto europeu|year=2005|publisher=by Universidade Católica Portuguesa|isbn=9789728361211|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4t8G0aRQhhgC&dq=Mem+Soares+de+Melo+rei&pg=PA72}}</ref>
==See also==
* {{ill|List of lords of Melo|pt|Lista de senhores de Melo}}
== References ==
<references />
== External links ==
*[http://purl.pt/12151/3/hg-40110-v/hg-40110-v_item3/index.html#/390 Nobiliário de familias de Portugal (MELLOS)]
[[Category:1262 deaths]]
[[Category:Portuguese military personnel]]
[[Category:13th-century Portuguese nobility]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]