Maria Manuela of Portugal (1527-1545) was a Portuguese princess, the daughter of King John III of Portugal and Catherine of Austria. She was known for her beauty and intelligence, and her life was marked by her engagement to Philip II of Spain, which was part of a political alliance between Portugal and Spain. Tragically, Maria Manuela died young at the age of 18, shortly after giving birth to a son, Don Carlos. Her death had significant implications for the royal families of both Portugal and Spain, as it affected the political landscape and succession plans of the Iberian Peninsula.