Portugal

Alias

  • Also: Purtugall
  1. Kingdom on the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula.
  2. Became independent from the León and Castile (1143) under Afonso Henriques, its first king.
  3. In 1249, acquired its difinitive borders, in broad terms, with the conquest of the Algarve, thus ending its own period of 'Reconquista'.
  4. During the medieval period the kingdom has an interesting history of royal marriages and military strife with the kingdom of Castile, its nearest neigbour.
  5. In 1383-1385, the country survives one of most critical dynastic crisis caused by the death of King Fernando, whose only heir is a female, Princess Beatrz, married to Juan I King of Castile.
  6. A new dynasty begins with King João I, former Master of Avis, but not before the invasion of the kingdom by Juan I of Castile on several occasions. The Battle of Aljubarrota (August 1385) is probably the most memorable landmark with the total defeat of the Castilian invading army. The Portuguese forces are led by the Constable Nuno Álvares Pereira, a brilliant military strategue and one of the most iconic personalities of the period.

Chronicle entries in which Portugal appears:

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