 Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal

Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal (1699–1782), was a prominent Portuguese statesman, diplomat, and reformer. He is best known for his role as the Prime Minister of Portugal during the reign of King Joseph I from 1750 to 1777. Pombal is particularly recognized for his efforts to modernize Portugal, especially following the catastrophic Lisbon earthquake of 1755.