17th to 19th centuries

1597-1605 – D. Afonso Furtado de Mendonça

1605-11 – D. Francisco de Castro

1611-18 – D. João Coutinho, under whom the main chapel of St Michael’s Chapel was decorated with tiles, and the retable was added.

1618 - D. Vasco de Sousa

1618-24 – D. Francisco de Meneses

1624-31 – D. Francisco de Brito de Meneses

1633-37 – D. Álvaro da Costa

1638-39 – D. André de Almada

1638-59 –D. Manuel de Saldanha. It was during this period that John IV was proclaimed King of Portugal. On 13 December 1640, the entire Cloister met and, in the name of the University, acclaimed the King who had restored the country's independence. Six years later, on 28 July, the rector, Manuel de Saldanha, and the university professors made a solemn oath to Our Lady of the Conception. On the same day that Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed the patron saint of the kingdom, a commemorative plaque was placed in St Michael's Chapel, next to the altar dedicated to Our Lady of Light. It was also at this time that the Throne Room was transformed into the Great Hall of Acts (known as the Sala dos Capelos).

1661-62 – D. Manuel de Noronha

1662 – Rodrigo de Miranda Henriques. On November 25, 1663, the University commemorated St Catherine’s day, as usual. The sermon was preached by Father António Vieira in St Michael’s Chapel.

1664-66 – Manuel Corte-Real de Abranches

1667-73 – André Furtado de Mendonça

1673-75 – Manuel Pereira de Melo

1675-79 – D. José de Meneses

1679-85 – D. Simão da Gama

1685-90 – Manuel de Moura Manuel

1690-94 – Rodrigo de Moura Teles

1694-1702 – Nuno da Silva Teles. The university facilities were extended. New “Gerais” were built; and the House of Private Examination was added. The library was to move permanently to the “Gerais” (currently, Room I in the Faculty of Law).

1703-09 – D. Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo

1710-15 – D. Gaspar de Moscoso e Silva

1715-18 – Nuno da Silva Teles. He served as rector when, on October 31, 1716, the authorization for the construction of a new building for the Library came through. It was to be the baroque library (“Joanina”), and D. Nuno placed the foundation stone on July 17, 1717.

1719-22 – Pedro Sanches Farinha de Baena

1722-22 – Francisco Carneiro de Figueiroa

1745-57 – D. Francisco da Anunciação (con. Regr. S. Agostinho)

1758-67 – Gaspar de Saldanha e Albuquerque

1770-79 – D. Francisco de Lemos de Faria Pereira Coutinho. Under this rector, the Pombaline Reform (after the Prime Minister’s name) began. The University consisted of six faculties: Theology, Canons, Laws, and Medicine, in addition to the new ones of Mathematics and Philosophy. In order to accommodate the newly created studies and consequent research, a number of buildings were constructed.

1779-85 – D. Francisco Rafael Miguel António de Mendonça

1786-99 – D. Francisco Rafael de Castro

1799-1821 – Friar Francisco de Lemos Faria Pereira Coutinho

1821-23 – D. Friar Francisco de S. Luís (O.S. Benedict)

1823-27 – D. Diogo de Castro do Rio Furtado de Mendonça. After D. Diogo de Castro’s death, the University was governed by the vice-rectors.

1841-48 – Sebastião Correia de Sá (Count of Terena). After the Pombaline Reform, he was the first rector not to have attended the University.

1850-53 – José Machado de Abreu

1859-63 – Basílio Alberto de Sousa Pinto (Viscount of St Hieronymus)

1863-64 – Vicente Ferrer de Neto Paiva

1866-68 – António Luís de Seabra (Viscount of Seabra). His name was linked to the first Portuguese Civil Code, whose original is kept in the University’s Archives (1867). It was in force for over a century.

1869-84 – Júlio Máximo de Oliveira Pimentel (Viscount of Vila Maior)

1886-90 – Adriano de Abreu Cardoso Machado. It was during his mandate that, in 1887, the ‘’Drama Academy of Coimbra‘’ received new statutes, on 3 November, and was renamed the Coimbra Academic Association.

1890-92 – António dos Santos Viegas.

1892-98 – António Augusto da Costa Simões.