The Count of Vila da Horta was a title created by Philip I of Portugal in 1580 in favour of Francisco.

The first count was lost the captaincy of the island of Faial and demanded with the Royal Family, Philip I substituted the title with the count of Santa Cruz conceded the title as a captaincy of donatary in the islands of Corvo and Flores.

Through a remarkable marriage policy, this family inherited several other titles and estates, such as Marquis of Gouveia in 1686, and Duke of Aveiro in 1745.

He was the general that vice-roy Dom Luís de Ataíde (1568-1571) appointed to face the forces of the Ahmadnagar Sultan at Portuguese Chaul in 1570-71.

[1] He became famous for this military success to an extent that Philip II of Spain decided to appoint him as vice-roy of India, in 1581, to succeed earl D. Luís de Ataíde in his second government of Asia (1578-1581).