Struggle for the throne of Portugal
Encyclopedia
The 1580 Portuguese succession crisis came about as a result of the 1578 death of young King Sebastian I of Portugal in the Battle of Ksar El Kebir. As Sebastian had no immediate heirs, this event prompted a dynastic crisis, with internal and external battles between several pretenders to the Portuguese throne; in addition, because Sebastian's body was never found, several impostors emerged over the next several years claiming to be the young king, further confusing the situation. Ultimately, Philip II of Spain
gained control of the country, uniting the Portuguese and Spanish Crowns in the Iberian Union
, a personal union
that would last for 60 years, during which time the Portuguese Empire
declined.
in 1578. Henry renounced his clerical offices and sought to take a bride for the continuation of the Aviz dynasty, but Pope Gregory XIII
, affiliated with the Habsburgs, did not release him from his vows. The Cardinal-King died two years later, without having appointed a Council of Regency
to choose a successor.
The Duchess was later acknowledged as the legitimate heir, after her descendants obtained the throne in 1640 (in the person of John IV of Portugal
), but at that time, she was only one of several possible heirs. According to the feudal
custom, her late older sister's son Rainuccio, an Italian, was the closest heir, then the Duchess herself, and only after them, King Philip. Philip II was a foreigner (although his mother was Portuguese) and descended from Manuel I by a female line; as for Anthony, although he was Manuel I's grandson in the male line, he was an illegitimate grandson.
Ranuccio Farnese (1569–1622), the hereditary duke of Parma and Piacenza, was the son of the late elder daughter of Duarte of Portugal, Duke of Guimarães, the only son of Manuel I whose legitimate descendants survived at that time, Ranuccio was according to the feudal custom the first heir to the throne of Portugal. He was the son of Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, and of Maria of Portugal
. His great-uncle Henry I of Portugal's death triggered the struggle for the throne of Portugal when Ranuccio was 11 years old. However, his father was an ally and even a subject of the Spanish king, another contender, so Ranuccio's rights were not very forcibly claimed at that time. Ranuccio became reigning duke of Parma in 1592.
Instead, Ranuccio's mother's younger sister Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, claimed the throne, very ambitiously, but failed. Catherine, Duchess of Braganza was married to Duke John I of Braganza (descendant in male line from Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza
, an illegitimate son of John I of Portugal
), who himself was grandson of the late Duke James of Braganza
, also a legitimate heir of Portugal, being the son of infanta Isabella of Portugal, sister of Manuel I and daughter of infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, second son of king Duarte I. The duchess also had a son, Dom Teodósio de Braganza, who would be her royal heir and successor to the throne. The duchess's claim was relatively strong, as it was reinforced by her husband's position as one of the legitimate heirs; thus they would both be entitled to hold the kingship. Moreover, the Duchess was living in Portugal, not abroad, and was not underage, but 40 years old. Her weaknesses were her gender (Portugal had not had a generally recognized reigning queen) and her being the second daughter, there thus existed a genealogically senior claimant.
According to the old feudal custom, the line of succession of the Portuguese throne would have been:
__________________________________
| |
MANUEL I
Isabella
<-------------------------->Ferdinand II
14th K.Portugal of Viseu | 3rd D.Braganza
| |
| James
______________________________________|____________________________________ 4th D.Braganza
| | | | | | ____|_________
| | | | | | | |
JOHN III
Isabella
Beatrice
Louis
HENRY I Edward I<------>Isabella
of Teodósio I
15th K.Portugal m.Charles V
m.Charles III
5th D.Beja Cardinal, dwi 4th D.Guimarães| Braganza 5th D.Braganza
| Emp.& K.Spain D.Savoy : 17th K.Portugal | 3rd D.Guimarães
| _____|____ | : ______________________|_______ |
| | | | : | | | |
John<----->Joan Philip II/I
Emmanuel
António Maria
Edward II Catherine
<---->John I
Prince | K.Spain Filiberto Prior of Crato m.Alexander
5th D.Guimarães Candidate | 6th D.Braganza
| Candidate D.Savoy Candidate D.Parma dwi | Candidate
| 19th K.Portugal Candidate 18th K.Portugal | |
| | |
| | |
SEBASTIAN I Ranuccio Farnese
Teodósio II
16th K.Portugal D.Parma 7th D.Braganza
dwi Candidate |
|
John II/IV
8th D.Braganza
__________________________________________________________________ 6th D.Guimarães
Emp.=Emperor, K.=King, D.=Duke, m.=married, dwi=died without issue 22nd K.Portugal
). António was the illegitimate son of Prince Louis (1506–1555), and therefore grandson of King Manuel I
. It was precisely because of his illegitimacy that his claim to the throne was weak and considered invalid. Following the death of King Sebastian, Antonio had put forward his own claim, but his pretensions were overlooked in favour of Cardinal Henry. In January 1580, when the Cortes Gerais were assembled in Almeirim
to decide upon an heir, the old Cardinal-King Henry died and the Regency of the Kingdom was assumed by a Council of five members.
Philip II of Spain managed to bring the aristocracy of the kingdom as support to his side. For the aristocracy, a personal union
with Spain
would prove highly profitable for Portugal at a time when the state finances were suffering. António tried to seduce the people for his cause, comparing the present situation to that of the Crisis of 1385. Then—just as in 1580—the king of Castile
had invoked blood descent to inherit the Portuguese throne; and the Master of Aviz (John I
), illegitimate son of King Peter I
, asserted his right to the throne at the Battle of Aljubarrota
, which ended in a victory for John's troops, and in the Cortes
of Coimbra
in 1385.
On July 24, 1580, António proclaimed himself King of Portugal in Santarém
, followed by acclamation in several locations throughout the country; his domestic government lasted for 20 days, until he was defeated in the Battle of Alcântara
by Habsburg armies led by the Duke of Alba
. After the fall of Lisbon, he purported to rule the country from Terceira Island
, in the Azores, where he established a government in exile until 1583; António even had coins minted—a typical assertion of sovereignty and royalty. Some authors consider him the last monarch of the House of Aviz
(instead of Cardinal-King Henry) and the 18th King of Portugal. His government in Terceira island was only recognized in the Azores, whereas on the continent and in the Madeira Islands power was exercised by Philip II, who was acclaimed king in 1580 as Philip I of Portugal and recognized as official king by the Cortes of Tomar
in 1581. The new king's election was carried on condition that the kingdom and its overseas territories should remain separate from Spain and keep their own laws and Cortes.
After his defeat in the Azores, António went into exile in France
—traditional enemy of the Habsburgs—and courted the support of England
. An invasion was attempted in 1589 under Sir Francis Drake
—leading the so-called English Armada
—but ended in failure. António continued to fight until the end of his life for his rights to the throne.
came under sustained attack from their enemies, especially the Dutch and English.
Sixty years after these events, John, Duke of Braganza, (1603–1656) accepted the throne offered by the Portuguese nobility, who had become frustrated under Habsburg rule, becoming John IV of Portugal
. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown, and son of Teodósio II
, Duke of Braganza
(who died insane in 1630). John was raised to the throne of Portugal (of which he was then held to be the legitimate heir) during the coup d'etat
effected on December 1, 1640 against king Philip IV
.
There have been many impostor
s who claimed to be King Sebastian, variously in 1584, 1585, 1595, and 1598. "Sebastianism
", the legend that the young king would return to Portugal on a foggy day persisted for years, and was even strong into the nineteenth century.
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
gained control of the country, uniting the Portuguese and Spanish Crowns in the Iberian Union
Iberian Union
The Iberian union was a political unit that governed all of the Iberian Peninsula south of the Pyrenees from 1580–1640, through a dynastic union between the monarchies of Portugal and Spain after the War of the Portuguese Succession...
, a personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
that would last for 60 years, during which time the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
declined.
The Cardinal-King
The Cardinal Henry, Sebastian's great-uncle, became ruler in the immediate wake of Sebastian's death. Henry had served as regent for Sebastian after 1562, and succeeded him as king after the disastrous Battle of Alcácer QuibirBattle of Alcácer Quibir
The Battle of Ksar El Kebir, also known as Battle of Three Kings, or "Battle of Oued El Makhazeen" in Morocco, and Battle of Alcácer Quibir in Portugal , was fought in northern Morocco, near the town of Ksar-el-Kebir and Larache, on 4 August 1578...
in 1578. Henry renounced his clerical offices and sought to take a bride for the continuation of the Aviz dynasty, but Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
, affiliated with the Habsburgs, did not release him from his vows. The Cardinal-King died two years later, without having appointed a Council of Regency
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
to choose a successor.
Claimants to the throne
Portuguese nobility was worried about the maintenance of their independence and sought help to find a new king. By this time the Portuguese throne was disputed by several claimants. Among them were:- Catherine, Duchess of BraganzaCatherine, Duchess of BraganzaInfanta Catherine of Guimarães, Duchess of Braganza by marriage was a Portuguese infanta claimant to the throne following the death of King Henry of Portugal in 1580....
- Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of ParmaRanuccio I Farnese, Duke of ParmaRanuccio I Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1592. A firm believer in absolute monarchy, Ranuccio, in 1594, centralised the administration of Parma and Piacenza, thus rescinding the nobles' hitherto vast prerogative...
- Philip II of SpainPhilip II of SpainPhilip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
- António, Prior of CratoAntónio, Prior of CratoAntónio, Prior of Crato , was a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal, claimant of the Portuguese throne during the 1580 dynastic crisis, who was King of Portugal as António I of Portugal during 33 days in the continent in 1580, and, after the crowning of Philip II of Spain as King of Portugal,...
- Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of SavoyEmmanuel Philibert, Duke of SavoyEmmanuel Philibert was Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580....
The Duchess was later acknowledged as the legitimate heir, after her descendants obtained the throne in 1640 (in the person of John IV of Portugal
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
), but at that time, she was only one of several possible heirs. According to the feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
custom, her late older sister's son Rainuccio, an Italian, was the closest heir, then the Duchess herself, and only after them, King Philip. Philip II was a foreigner (although his mother was Portuguese) and descended from Manuel I by a female line; as for Anthony, although he was Manuel I's grandson in the male line, he was an illegitimate grandson.
Ranuccio Farnese (1569–1622), the hereditary duke of Parma and Piacenza, was the son of the late elder daughter of Duarte of Portugal, Duke of Guimarães, the only son of Manuel I whose legitimate descendants survived at that time, Ranuccio was according to the feudal custom the first heir to the throne of Portugal. He was the son of Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, and of Maria of Portugal
Infanta Maria of Guimarães
Maria of Portugal was a Portuguese infanta daughter of Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães , and Isabel of Braganza. She married Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza on November 11, 1565. She was a princess of Parma by marriage.-Issue:-Ancestry:-See also:...
. His great-uncle Henry I of Portugal's death triggered the struggle for the throne of Portugal when Ranuccio was 11 years old. However, his father was an ally and even a subject of the Spanish king, another contender, so Ranuccio's rights were not very forcibly claimed at that time. Ranuccio became reigning duke of Parma in 1592.
Instead, Ranuccio's mother's younger sister Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, claimed the throne, very ambitiously, but failed. Catherine, Duchess of Braganza was married to Duke John I of Braganza (descendant in male line from Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza
Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza
Dom Afonso I, the 1st Duke of Braganza was the eighth Count of Barcelos, the 2nd Count of Neiva, 2nd Lord of Faria and the first Duke of Braganza.-Origins:...
, an illegitimate son of John I of Portugal
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
), who himself was grandson of the late Duke James of Braganza
Jaime, Duke of Braganza
James was the older son of Ferdinand II, 3rd Duke of Braganza and of his wife, Isabella of Viseu and he became the fourth Duke of Braganza following his father's death.His father and one of his uncles were...
, also a legitimate heir of Portugal, being the son of infanta Isabella of Portugal, sister of Manuel I and daughter of infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, second son of king Duarte I. The duchess also had a son, Dom Teodósio de Braganza, who would be her royal heir and successor to the throne. The duchess's claim was relatively strong, as it was reinforced by her husband's position as one of the legitimate heirs; thus they would both be entitled to hold the kingship. Moreover, the Duchess was living in Portugal, not abroad, and was not underage, but 40 years old. Her weaknesses were her gender (Portugal had not had a generally recognized reigning queen) and her being the second daughter, there thus existed a genealogically senior claimant.
According to the old feudal custom, the line of succession of the Portuguese throne would have been:
- Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of ParmaRanuccio I Farnese, Duke of ParmaRanuccio I Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1592. A firm believer in absolute monarchy, Ranuccio, in 1594, centralised the administration of Parma and Piacenza, thus rescinding the nobles' hitherto vast prerogative...
and his siblings (son of Infanta Maria of GuimarãesInfanta Maria of GuimarãesMaria of Portugal was a Portuguese infanta daughter of Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães , and Isabel of Braganza. She married Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza on November 11, 1565. She was a princess of Parma by marriage.-Issue:-Ancestry:-See also:...
, eldest daughter of Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães, the youngest son of Manuel IManuel I of PortugalManuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
and the only one who had living descendants) - Catherine, Duchess of BraganzaCatherine, Duchess of BraganzaInfanta Catherine of Guimarães, Duchess of Braganza by marriage was a Portuguese infanta claimant to the throne following the death of King Henry of Portugal in 1580....
and her children (youngest daughter of Duarte of Portugal, Maria's younger sister) - Philip II of SpainPhilip II of SpainPhilip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
and his children (son of Isabella of Portugal, the eldest daughter of Manuel I) - Maria of SpainMaria of SpainArchduchess Maria of Austria was the spouse of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary. She was the daughter of Emperor Charles V and twice served as regent of Spain.-Life:...
, Holy Roman Empress, and her children (daughter of Isabella of Portugal, Philip's sister) - Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of SavoyEmmanuel Philibert, Duke of SavoyEmmanuel Philibert was Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580....
and his children (son of Beatrice of PortugalBeatrice, Duchess of SavoyInfanta Beatrice of Portugal ; ) was Duchess of Savoy by marriage.-Family:She was the second daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and his second wife, Maria of Aragon...
, the youngest daughter of Manuel IManuel I of PortugalManuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
)
Genealogical summary
Claimants following King Henry I's death (1580)__________________________________
| |
MANUEL I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
Isabella
Isabella of Viseu
Isabella of Viseu was a daughter of Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu and his wife and cousin Infanta Beatrice, Duchess of Viseu. She was a member of the House of Aviz and later, House of Braganza.-Family:...
<-------------------------->Ferdinand II
Fernando II, Duke of Braganza
Ferdinand II was the older son of Fernando I, 2nd Duke of Braganza and of his wife, Doña Joana de Castro....
14th K.Portugal of Viseu | 3rd D.Braganza
| |
| James
Jaime, Duke of Braganza
James was the older son of Ferdinand II, 3rd Duke of Braganza and of his wife, Isabella of Viseu and he became the fourth Duke of Braganza following his father's death.His father and one of his uncles were...
______________________________________|____________________________________ 4th D.Braganza
| | | | | | ____|_________
| | | | | | | |
JOHN III
John III of Portugal
John III , nicknamed o Piedoso , was the fifteenth King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile...
Isabella
Isabella of Portugal
Isabella of Portugal was a Portuguese Princess and Holy Roman Empress, Duchess of Burgundy, and a Queen Regent/Consort of Spain. She was the daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon. By her marriage to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Isabella was also Holy Roman Empress and Queen...
Beatrice
Beatrice, Duchess of Savoy
Infanta Beatrice of Portugal ; ) was Duchess of Savoy by marriage.-Family:She was the second daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and his second wife, Maria of Aragon...
Louis
Infante Luís, Duke of Beja
The Infante Louis, 5th Duke of Beja was the second son of King Manuel I of Portugal and his second wife Maria of Aragon , and therefore a Portuguese infante .Louis succeeded his father as the 5th Duke of Beja and was also made 9th Constable of the Kingdom...
HENRY I Edward I<------>Isabella
Isabella of Braganza
Isabella of Braganza , also known as Isabella of Barcelos...
of Teodósio I
Teodósio I, Duke of Braganza
Teodósio I of Braganza was the 5th Duke of Braganza. He was son of Jaime, 4th Duke of Braganza, and succeeded his father in the House of Braganza when he died, in 1532....
15th K.Portugal m.Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
m.Charles III
Charles III, Duke of Savoy
Charles III of Savoy , often called Charles the Good, was Duke of Savoy from 1504 to 1553, although most of his lands were ruled by the French between 1536 and his death....
5th D.Beja Cardinal, dwi 4th D.Guimarães| Braganza 5th D.Braganza
| Emp.& K.Spain D.Savoy : 17th K.Portugal | 3rd D.Guimarães
| _____|____ | : ______________________|_______ |
| | | | : | | | |
John<----->Joan Philip II/I
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
Emmanuel
Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy
Emmanuel Philibert was Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580....
António Maria
Infanta Maria of Guimarães
Maria of Portugal was a Portuguese infanta daughter of Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães , and Isabel of Braganza. She married Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza on November 11, 1565. She was a princess of Parma by marriage.-Issue:-Ancestry:-See also:...
Edward II Catherine
Catherine, Duchess of Braganza
Infanta Catherine of Guimarães, Duchess of Braganza by marriage was a Portuguese infanta claimant to the throne following the death of King Henry of Portugal in 1580....
<---->John I
John, 6th Duke of Braganza
John, Duke of Braganza may also mean John II, 8th Duke of BragançaJohn I, 6th Duke of Braganza KGF was the eldest son of Teodósio I, 5th Duke of Braganza....
Prince | K.Spain Filiberto Prior of Crato m.Alexander
Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
5th D.Guimarães Candidate | 6th D.Braganza
| Candidate D.Savoy Candidate D.Parma dwi | Candidate
| 19th K.Portugal Candidate 18th K.Portugal | |
| | |
| | |
SEBASTIAN I Ranuccio Farnese
Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ranuccio I Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1592. A firm believer in absolute monarchy, Ranuccio, in 1594, centralised the administration of Parma and Piacenza, thus rescinding the nobles' hitherto vast prerogative...
Teodósio II
Teodósio II, Duke of Braganza
Teodósio II of Bragança , was the 7th Duke of Braganza. He was the son of John I, 6th Duke of Bragança by his wife, Infanta Catherine of Guimarães ....
16th K.Portugal D.Parma 7th D.Braganza
dwi Candidate |
|
John II/IV
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
8th D.Braganza
__________________________________________________________________ 6th D.Guimarães
Emp.=Emperor, K.=King, D.=Duke, m.=married, dwi=died without issue 22nd K.Portugal
António of Portugal and Philip of Spain
António of Portugal (1531–1595), Prior of Crato, was a claimant of the Portuguese throne during the 1580 crisis and, according to some historians, King of Portugal (during a short time in 1580, in the continent, and since then until 1583, in the AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
). António was the illegitimate son of Prince Louis (1506–1555), and therefore grandson of King Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
. It was precisely because of his illegitimacy that his claim to the throne was weak and considered invalid. Following the death of King Sebastian, Antonio had put forward his own claim, but his pretensions were overlooked in favour of Cardinal Henry. In January 1580, when the Cortes Gerais were assembled in Almeirim
Almeirim
Almeirim is a city and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 222.0 km² and a total population of 22,434 inhabitants. The city proper has a population of 10,520.The municipality is composed of 4 parishes, and is located in Santarém District....
to decide upon an heir, the old Cardinal-King Henry died and the Regency of the Kingdom was assumed by a Council of five members.
Philip II of Spain managed to bring the aristocracy of the kingdom as support to his side. For the aristocracy, a personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
would prove highly profitable for Portugal at a time when the state finances were suffering. António tried to seduce the people for his cause, comparing the present situation to that of the Crisis of 1385. Then—just as in 1580—the king of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
had invoked blood descent to inherit the Portuguese throne; and the Master of Aviz (John I
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
), illegitimate son of King Peter I
Peter I of Portugal
Peter I , called the Just , was the eighth King of Portugal and the Algarve from 1357 until his death. He was the third but only surviving son of Afonso IV of Portugal and his wife, princess Beatrice of Castile....
, asserted his right to the throne at the Battle of Aljubarrota
Battle of Aljubarrota
The Battle of Aljubarrota was a battle fought between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile on 14 August 1385. Forces commanded by King John I of Portugal and his general Nuno Álvares Pereira, with the support of English allies, opposed the army of King John I of Castile with its...
, which ended in a victory for John's troops, and in the Cortes
Portuguese Cortes
In the Medieval Kingdom of Portugal, the Cortes was an assembly of representatives of the estates of the realm - the nobility, clergy and bourgeoisie. It was called and dismissed by the King of Portugal at will, at a place of his choosing...
of Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
in 1385.
On July 24, 1580, António proclaimed himself King of Portugal in Santarém
Santarém, Portugal
Santarém is a city in the Santarém Municipality in Portugal. The city itself has a population of 28,760 and the entire municipality has 64,124 inhabitants.It is the capital of Santarém District....
, followed by acclamation in several locations throughout the country; his domestic government lasted for 20 days, until he was defeated in the Battle of Alcântara
Battle of Alcântara (1580)
The Battle of Alcântara took place on August 25, 1580, near the brook of Alcântara, in the vicinity of Lisbon, Portugal, and was a decisive victory of the Spanish Habsburg King Philip II over the Portuguese pretender to the Portuguese throne, Dom António, Prior of Crato.-Background:In Portugal, the...
by Habsburg armies led by the Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
. After the fall of Lisbon, he purported to rule the country from Terceira Island
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
, in the Azores, where he established a government in exile until 1583; António even had coins minted—a typical assertion of sovereignty and royalty. Some authors consider him the last monarch of the House of Aviz
House of Aviz
The House of Aviz is a dynasty of kings of Portugal. In 1385, the Interregnum of the 1383-1385 crisis ended with the acclamation of the Master of the Order of Aviz, John, natural son of king Peter I and Dona Teresa Lourenço as king...
(instead of Cardinal-King Henry) and the 18th King of Portugal. His government in Terceira island was only recognized in the Azores, whereas on the continent and in the Madeira Islands power was exercised by Philip II, who was acclaimed king in 1580 as Philip I of Portugal and recognized as official king by the Cortes of Tomar
Tomar
Tomar Municipality has a total area of 351.0 km² and a total population of 43,007 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Santarém District...
in 1581. The new king's election was carried on condition that the kingdom and its overseas territories should remain separate from Spain and keep their own laws and Cortes.
After his defeat in the Azores, António went into exile in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
—traditional enemy of the Habsburgs—and courted the support of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. An invasion was attempted in 1589 under Sir Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
—leading the so-called English Armada
English Armada
The English Armada, also known as the Counter Armada or the Drake-Norris Expedition, was a fleet of warships sent to the Iberian Coast by Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1589, during the Anglo-Spanish War...
—but ended in failure. António continued to fight until the end of his life for his rights to the throne.
Consequences
The matter of whether Portugal was actually invaded by Spain is contested. Philip II had a legitimate claim to the throne, but as with many other dynastic struggles of the age, it was shrouded in controversy. In any case, life was calm and serene under the first two Habsburg kings; they maintained Portugal's status, gave excellent positions to Portuguese nobles in the Spanish Court and Portugal maintained an independent law, currency and government. It was even proposed to move the Imperial capital to Lisbon. However, Portugal saw its wealth gradually decreasing. Even though it was an autonomous state, Portuguese coloniesPortuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
came under sustained attack from their enemies, especially the Dutch and English.
Sixty years after these events, John, Duke of Braganza, (1603–1656) accepted the throne offered by the Portuguese nobility, who had become frustrated under Habsburg rule, becoming John IV of Portugal
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown, and son of Teodósio II
Teodósio II, Duke of Braganza
Teodósio II of Bragança , was the 7th Duke of Braganza. He was the son of John I, 6th Duke of Bragança by his wife, Infanta Catherine of Guimarães ....
, Duke of Braganza
Duke of Braganza
The title Duke of Braganza in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Since the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal in 1640, the male heir of the Portuguese Crown was known as the Duke of Braganza and Prince of Brazil until 1822, or...
(who died insane in 1630). John was raised to the throne of Portugal (of which he was then held to be the legitimate heir) during the coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
effected on December 1, 1640 against king Philip IV
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
.
There have been many impostor
Impostor
An impostor or imposter is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often to try to gain financial or social advantages through social engineering, but just as often for purposes of espionage or law enforcement....
s who claimed to be King Sebastian, variously in 1584, 1585, 1595, and 1598. "Sebastianism
Sebastianism
Sebastianism, one aspect of the sleeping king folk-motif, is part of the Portuguese and Brazilian mythology and culture. It means waiting for a hero that will save Portugal and lead it to the Fifth Empire, and known as Eu nacional...
", the legend that the young king would return to Portugal on a foggy day persisted for years, and was even strong into the nineteenth century.