Matheus I (1254) took part in the long conflicts between Crown and Church, which had begun in the reign of King Afonso II, and in defence of ecclesiastical immunities went with other bishops to Rome, dying at Viterbo.

Gonçalo de Figueiredo (1323), who had been married before entering Church service, is remembered as the founder of many noble families; his successor Miguel Vivas (1330) served as chancellor to Afonso IV.

Luís do Amaral, the only bishop native of the city, represented Portugal at the Council of Basel, and, embracing the cause of the antipope Felix V, was sent on various embassies; he returned however to the lawful obedience before his death.

Luís Coutinho II (1438) was promoted to the diocese of Coimbra in 1446, being followed by João Vicente (founder of the Loyos, a congregation of secular canons of St. John), who was known as "the holy bishop".

He took part in the Junta called by King Manuel to consider the offer Christopher Columbus had made to discover the sea route to the Indies by sailing west and procured its rejection, which transferred from Portugal to Spain the European discovery of America.

[1] Gonçalo Pinheiro (appointed in Consistory by Pope Julius III on June 27, 1552), classical scholar, ambassador to France, and subsequently bishop, held a synod in 1555, and made notable additions to the cathedral.

Jorge de Ataíde (appointed on 23 July 1568) assisted at the Council of Trent and in the reform of the Missal and Breviary and built the cathedral sacristy and part of the bishop's palace; of noble family and a pious prelate, he refused four archbishoprics and left his residuary estate to the poor.

João Manual (1610) son of the Count of Castanheira, after a personal visitation of the diocese in 1611, drew up constitutions which were approved at a synod in 1614 and he subsequently became Archbishop of Lisbon and viceroy.

João de Portugal (1626), a Dominican of noble birth and saintly life, made a visitation of the diocese and finding most of his people ignorant of Christian doctrine, wrote and distributed a summary of it.

Bernardino de Senna (1629), a Franciscan, had held important posts in his order in different parts of Portugal, where he travelled on foot begging alms, and he had refused two mitres.

Through Spanish pressure, the popes refused to confirm the prelates named by King João IV and during eleven years Portugal and his empire had only one bishop, the others, appointed under the Philips, having died.

Ricardo Russell, an Englishman, chaplain to Queen Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II of England, was translated from the diocese of Portalegre in 1685 and established that congregation in Viseu.

He made two visitations of the diocese and was succeeded by Francisco de Azevedo (1792), a prelate of great modesty and charity, who instituted five suburban parishes annexed to the cathedral and subsidized the rectors out of his own funds.

José Xavier de Cerveira e Sousa (1859) abandoned the diocese through his inability to secure obedience from his priests in the matter of clerical dress and was followed by António Alves Martins (1862), a Franciscan who espoused the Liberal cause and fought in the civil war against King Miguel.