Carlos Relvas

Carlos Augusto de Mascarenhas Relvas de Campos (13 November 1838 – 23 January 1894), more commonly known simply as Carlos Relvas, was a wealthy Portuguese landowner, and sportsman. He is perhaps best known as a talented amateur bullfighter, and as a pioneer of photography in Portugal.

Biography Carlos Relvas was born in the Outeiro Palace, in Golegã, a small village in the rural province of Ribatejo in Portugal. His father, José Farinha Relvas de Campos was one of the wealthiest landowners in Ribatejo. He was educated by private tutors in science and foreign languages, particularly French.

Relvas inherited a large fortune and extensive land from his parents. One biography notes his reputation for making charitable donations with his wealth. Carlos Relvas married D. Margarida Amália Mendes de Vasconcelos, the daughter of the Count of Podentes, of an illustrious family in Beira Alta. They had four children. Their son José Relvas became a republican politician who actively participated in the 5 October 1910 revolution, and who briefly served as the country's Prime Minister in 1919. Their daughter, Margarida Relvas, also had a brief career as a noted photographer.

Relvas was married twice. His first wife Margarida died in 1887. One year later, he married Mariana Correia, who was not accepted by the entirety of his family. The couple moved to Relvas's photographic studio, now repurposed as a house, where they lived until Relvas's death. Carlos Relvas died on 23 January 1894, after contracting sepsis following a horse-riding accident.