Long Live George I - A Portuguese TL

[Karolus Rex]

No, not the German that got to be King of the Uk. This George, or better Jorge, is the natural son of John II.

I asked for feedback (by the way thanks Ciniad) and I just decided to go on one of fuck it and try this idea.

Here goes nothing.

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1492
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The death of Innocent VIII on the 25th of July sent the Portuguese Crown into disarray. Ever since the death of his son and heir, Prince Alphonse, exactly one year before, King John the Second had resorted to any means to put his natural son, Jorge de Lencastre, as the new heir to the throne.

Resorting to bribery and threats, the King had managed to convince the Pope to legitimize Jorge, despite the objections of his wife, Queen Eleanor, that favored his own brother, Manuel, to the throne.

Unfortunately for the King, Innocent died before any official embassy could be sent to Rome.

The Queen, supposedly having seen this as an act of God, begun to prepare her allies to force his husband to accept Manuel as heir.

For John, a man that had fought to strengthen the royal power by any means, having to accept Manuel as heir, a man that he hadn't killed because he thought him a fool, was unthinkable.

Acting as quickly as he could he ordered his agents in Rome to use any means necessary to ensure that Cardinal da Costa would become the next Pope.

The conclave that followed took simony to a next level.

Those that could be bought were bought, those that could be threatened were threatened and those that refused both offers soon learned that the King of Portugal wasn't a man to take a no as an answer.

A famous incident was that of Rodrigo Borja.

The Aragonese had pushed too far in his bid for the tiara and one night he received a message from John's spies. Either he abandoned the race and offered his support to da Costa or his family would suffer the consequences.

Borja, certain that no one would dare to move against his family, ignored the threat and continued his campaign. The next night, while taking his dinner, he found a finger with a ring on his food. He recognized the ring as being one that he had offered to his mistress Vannozza.

No one knows how John''s spies managed to infiltrate the conclave to put on this stunt but soon enough all Cardinals learned the message.

Prata ou Aço.

Silver or Steel.

This were the only options they had.

On the 10 of August, Cardinal-Bishop Jorge da Costa was elected by unanimous vote.

Upon his election he assumed the name Leo X and two weeks latter he officially legitimized Jorge de Lencastre as heir to the Portuguese Crown and appointed him Master of the Order of Santiago and Administrator of the Order of Avis.

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So this is the POD and the beginning of the story.

If there is enough feedback and stuff I will continue the story if not then it become a one shot.

 

[Behemoth]

Subscribed.

Even though my knowledge of this subject is limited, it will be interesting to see how things progress with Portugal.

 

[LincolnH]

How would Jorge avoid a Spanish marriage (or would he). With hindsight, obviously a Spanish match would not be the thing to do. But this is Portugal before the vast wealth of Brazil, so I'm not sure of his prospects.

 

[Gonzaga]

Well, it seems you've made the election of the oldest Pope in history (he would be 86 years old in 1492).

 

[Karolus Rex]

Subscribed.

Even though my knowledge of this subject is limited, it will be interesting to see how things progress with Portugal.

Things will probably be a little more smooth.

How would Jorge avoid a Spanish marriage (or would he). With hindsight, obviously a Spanish match would not be the thing to do. But this is Portugal before the vast wealth of Brazil, so I'm not sure of his prospects.

His position his too weak for him to marry a foreigner. He would be forced into a political marriage with the Religious Party (the ones that thought that India and all was a mission from God and a new Crusade) to keep peace in the country.

About the "Portugal before the vast wealth of Brazil".

Portugal was at the time one of the richest nations of Europe thanks to the African trade and would go on thanks to the Indian ocean trade. Until the gold was found, Brazil was just a place were tobacco, sugar and brazilwood was harvested.

Manuel wasn't known as the Merchant King for nothing. Thanks to the work of those before him he had been left with the key to the gates of India and it's riches, the coffers were full, new ships were being built and prepared to new expeditions (the reason of the 10 year gap between finding the Cape of Good Hope and Gama's expedition was because the king wanted to prepare everything perfectly), but most important gold, slaves, ivory, pepper and etc... were flooding in from all the trade posts in Africa.

Well, it seems you've made the election of the oldest Pope in history (he would be 86 years old in 1492).

He is a transition Pope.

John needs a Pope he owns and the cardinals don't want to piss of the guy that told the King France to shove it up after appending the French war fleet in Lisbon (this is actually a funny story. A french pirate had captured a portuguese merchant ship coming from Africa and as punishment John captured a french war fleet that had been resting in Lisbon and sent word to Paris saying that either the pirate was hanged, the ship returned and an indemnity was payed or France could say goodbye to the ships. The French backdown and John got what he wanted).

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

This looks interesting

 

[LincolnH]

The marriage is a relief (on the one hand). I'm hoping Jorge won't suppress/expell the Jews- maybe even provide a haven for those from Spain. We need to find a suitable bride for him (as well as Manuel, who's still in the succession and could be a problem)

 

[Karolus Rex]

The marriage is a relief (on the one hand). I'm hoping Jorge won't suppress/expell the Jews- maybe even provide a haven for those from Spain. We need to find a suitable bride for him (as well as Manuel, who's still in the succession and could be a problem)

Historically Jorge had the support of the New Christians during the reign of Manuel and he also opposed Manuel on the matter of the inquisition, so I think he would just go on one of live and let live. As long as the Jews are loyal he treats them well but if they are disloyal he would treat them like he would do to any traitor.

On the marriage I have no idea who he will marry.

Manuel was a fool but a powerful one being the Master of the Order of Christ, so he might be forced to marry someone from his family to keep them in check or his father might marry him into his own Party as a reward and as a means too keep them loyal and happy.

I'm more tempted on the first option because in OTL the nobles of John's camp stayed loyal to Jorge after Manuel's coronation.

 

[Gonzaga]

He is a transition Pope.

I wouldn't be so sure. He managed to live beyond 100 IOTL ;-)
Anyway, no Borgia Pope would cause very interesting effects in Italy and the Church. And Machiavelli would have to find other person to serve as an example than Cesare Borgia. ;-)

 

[Karolus Rex]

I wouldn't be so sure. He managed to live beyond 100 IOTL ;-)
Anyway, no Borgia Pope would cause very interesting effects in Italy and the Church. And Machiavelli would have to find other person to serve as an example than Cesare Borgia. ;-)

I'm imagining Leo X as a new John XXII.

Both were elected to please a ruler, both were chosen because "he will die soon enough" and both ended up living for a very long time.

No Borgia Pope means that the Columbus voyage will have some funny reactions, especially without a Pope willing to give Spain all they wanted..

And well John is known as the Perfect Prince here in Portugal so...

 

[LincolnH]

Leo X actually lives to 1508- five years longer than Alexander VI. Leo X will have to start the new St Peter's Basilica!

 

[Karolus Rex]

Sorry for the delay but I lost my laptop charger and I was without a PC -.-

*****

1492
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With Jorge's elevation to Heir to the Portuguese Crown secured, King John turned inwards to ensure that no one would contest the elevation of his natural son.

In an official ceremony in Saint Jorge Castle, John officially presented Jorge as the Príncipe Herdeiro de Portugal - Prince-Heir of Portugal - and gave him the title of Duke of Coimbra. For the King's supporters, the Practical Party, this was a sign that the King's legacy would continue and that their future plans were safe.

For the Queen's partisans, the Religious Party, this was a slap in the face. A humiliation that they would neither forgive nor forget.

Clashes between both sides became common and blood flooded in the streets of Lisbon.

With tensions rising, John became desperate to find a way to unite both sides under his command. Several of his advisories urged him to begin a war with Morocco as a means to unify the kingdom under under a common enemy, and unspoken a war that could please them both. The Religious would gain their Holly War and the Practicals would be please with the thought of destroying the Barbary pirates that plagued the sea.

Despite his initial reservations John approves of the plan, as this would give his new Heir a chance to gain glory in the battlefield, thus strengthening his position. So in November 1492, the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves begins preparations for war.

With the Kingdom on War footing, the King issues a command, ordering the Colonial Governors to apprehend and arrest all ships that approached their ports without a safe conduct.

1493​

On the 17th of February two unknown ships are spotted, by a fisherman, approaching the Santa Maria island. Fearing that they were pirates coming to raid, the man immediately goes to inform João de Castanheira, at the time the island's captain. de Castanheira, fearing the repercussions if he failed to obey his king's orders, quickly sends word to the Donatary-Captain of Saint Michael, Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, and then gathers a quick force of militia to face what he thought were Castillian pirates.

They found the "pirates" praying on a shire dedicated to Our Lady.

de Castanheira quickly order his men to arrest them, ignoring their shouts that they weren't pirates but merchants.

The Captain then went to where the Castillian ships had anchored and demanded their surrender.

Their leader, Christopher Columbus, presented himself as a merchant and shouted back demanding that the Portuguese Captain released his men. Both men keep on trading insults and threats until de Castanheira demanded to see Columbus safe conduct. If they were really merchants and not raiders or spies, then they had to had a safe conduct.

Columbus, not knowing what the Captain was talking about but knowing very well the consequences of failing, tried to stall for time.

Surprisingly that tactic worked.

Bored and with his patient running thin, de Castanheira got tiered of arguing with the Genovese and, supposedly, told Columbus to go fuck himself. If the Genovese wasn't going to talk his men would, under the right circumstances.

Over the next two days stood away from each other.

On the third day, Columbus prepares to make a raid on the Portuguese, thinking that if he is quick enough he might save his men, but as the Castillians prepare a ship bearing the Portuguese Royal Flag approaches.

With half his crew captured and his ships in dreadful condition Columbus has no way of escape. He quickly surrenders to da Câmara and tries to bargain for his life claiming that he as knowledge that the King wishes to know.

As the Donatary-Captain shows no sign of believing in Columbus words, the Genovese tells him that he found the path to India, hopping that this might save his live.

da Câmara is taken back by the statement and quickly understands the implication of the Genovese words.

If what he says is true then King will want to know.

But the ruthless Captain also knows, that if the Castillians find out, this could mean war. He orders the burning of the Castillian ships and the hanging of all it's members, with the exception of Columbus, for piracy.

Two days latter da Câmara and Columbus leave the Azores in rout to Lisbon.

*****

Notes and explanations:
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Portuguese-Morocco relations - To put it simply bad. Portugal saw Morocco as a pirate heaven full of infidels and Morocco saw Portugal the same way.

Religious vs Practical Parties - The two parties that dominated Portugal during this age. John II was the leader of the Practical and his wife the leader of the Religious. Both sides had the same goal reach India and dominate the Spice trade the difference was on the way. The Practical wanted to control with an iron fist the spice trade by any means, while the Religious wanted to do the same but they did so because they wanted a new Crusade to recover Jerusalem. The Practical's wanted the money to be used to improve the Kingdom and the Empire, so that Portugal could become the Greatest Power of that time. The Religious wanted Crusades, Churches and to kill/convert anyone that wasn't Christian.

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The closing of the colonial ports to foreign ships - This is ordered because the easiest way for spies to enter the kingdom would be by either Madeira or the Azores. The colonies being a place where outcasts were sent it would be easier for a foreigner to pass undetected than to try to board a ship directly to Lisbon. Also it wasn't that uncommon for the Portuguese Crown to prohibit foreign merchants to negotiate with it's Colonies.

Columbus and de Câstanheira - This really happened OTL. The difference was that de Câstanheira didn't called de Câmara from São Miguel and that on the second day the Portuguese let the Castillians go free.

da Câmara - from what I read from him, this Donatary-Captain was a intelligent and imposing man that managed to transform São Miguel, from a small colony to a center of colonial power, in his 21 year rule. Having only natural sons, I have no doubt that he would be on the side of John and Jorge and would use Columbus as a means to ensure that his natural son, João Rodrigues, would inherit his lands and the Captaincy.

Portuguese-Castillian Relations - In the 1490's relations between the two kingdoms were very sore. Portugal hated the idea of a Aragon-Castilian Union and they were very jealous of the Portuguese trade Empire. In OTL Columbus voyage almost started a war between the two sides.

*****
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All comments are appreciated so that I can know if people are following this TL.

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[DTF955Baseballfan]

Wow, I just learned some really cool stuff about Columbus' voyage I never knew! Thanks!

 

[Karolus Rex]

Wow, I just learned some really cool stuff about Columbus' voyage I never knew! Thanks!

Good to know

 

[perfectgeneral]

Yes, this looks to be an informative journey through Portugal's strongest years.

 

[Karolus Rex]

So it took too much time but here it is.

This is just a small update on the political landscape of Southern Europe in 1493.

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Lisbon at the end of the 15th century was the crown jewel of the Portuguese Empire.

At the surface Lisbon was a place of legends, where all the riches of the Empire converged. Gold, Pepper, Ivory and Slaves came flooding from Guinea. Sugar ran like water in the markets of the capital, as Madeira alone supplied almost 6 million kilos and the production was growing daily in the archipelago, at its peak almost 11 million kilos of sugar were produce yearly at Madeira.

Most saw the riches and claimed that the Portuguese Kings weren't Kings but merchants with purple robes.

But this golden face was nothing more than a farce.

For beneath the gold, a iron mask was hidden.

The shipyard of Lisbon worked yearly non-stop making the great ships that ruled the African seas and that urged fear across Europe. The Arsenal of Lisbon, the greatest of its type in all of Europe, where the most skilled German and Bohemian smiths worked, produced the cannons, muskets, swords and armour that equipped the Royal Fleet.

And now all of this militar potential was put to work.

The Kings' plan to unite his country against a common foe was being prepared and the foundries and shipyards all over the country were working overtime. And the more bronze and grain was bought in Antwerp and Danzing the more the rivals of Lisbon got scarred.

The Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia looked at this preparations and saw war on the horizon. Maybe the Portuguese had finally gotten tiered of the Venetian spies trying to steal their secrets and had decided to take matter on their own hands, the people whispered in the streets. And with French king looking more and more into Italy the more they got scarred. Venice could, in alliance, face the two kingdoms, separately, but the two united could do what to Venice what they had done to Constantinople all those centuries ago. The fact that the Pope was a Portuguese Puppet didn't help in calming these fears, for they now saw the possibility of a triple alliance between Portugal, France and the Papacy, all players that they had enraged at some point.

In Fes, the Sultan Abu Abd Allah al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Yahya, looked to Lisbon in fear and rage, and prayed that the Infidels from the north were about to fight between themselves. His Kingdom was in decline and long were the days when Marrakesh could install fear into the Iberian Kingdoms. He was confident that he could face the Christians, if they ventured deep into his lands, but he had no power if they only attacked him on the coast.

Even in Valladolid, Ferdinand and Isabella looked with fear at the preparations. Maybe, the courtesans whispered, King John had decided to follow on path of his ancestors and would once again try to unite the Crowns of Portugal and Castille into one kingdom. He might not had any blood connections to the Castillian Crown, he could engage his heir to La Beltraneja and use her as a front to gain the Crown for him and his Dynasty, and with the Pope as his puppet he could force Leo X to annul the Papal dispensation that Pius II had given then so that Ferdinand and Isabella could marry, making their marriage null and all of their daughters bastards in the eyes of Christianity.

But while all looked in fear, in Lisbon civil unrest was growing and civil war was looming on the horizon.

*****

Notes and Explanations:
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Lisbon at the end of the 15th century - Lisbon, while not the power that would become with the Indian trade, was at the time considered a place of legends for its riches and was known as the "Mistress of the Seas".

Portuguese Empire in 1493 - As in the case of Lisbon, the Empire was still growing but it was already one of major power at work. Guinea was a major source of revenue, the Azores produced the grain that would be used in times of need and was also used to supply the Fortresses in Africa, Madeira, like its stated, was the major producer of sugar in the Empire at the time, it would reach its peak in 1515-1525, when the competition from São Tomé would begin to mark the decline of the Madeira sugar trade.

Shipyard of Lisbon - Named Riveira das Naus, and with a capacity of almost 800 tones per year in 1493, the Shipyard was the major point where ships were constructed, with the other main places being Viana do Castelo and Setubal. Almost 98% of the ships were built with national products and with the shipyards being direct dependencies of the crown made them places of high specialization and were always the top priority to the Kingdom.

Arsenal de Lisboa - The main militar industrial point of the Kingdom. Thousands of master smiths were hired by the Crown to work there and they weren't the only ones to come, their families came with them creating a highly specialized community that only had one goal, to make the weapons of the Empire. While most countries at the time preferred to buy their cannons abroad, and mostly used convicts to work the guns, the Portuguese Crown, thanks to John II, decided to take a different approach. The best German and Bohemian smiths were hired and brought to the Kingdom to make and man the weapons. No cannon was bought abroad, they were all constructed in Lisbon under strike rules and regulations. At each 300 shots the piece was melted down to forge a new one to avoid that the barrel would weaken and to avoid the danger of explosion. The German gunners would become famous and cherished in India by the Portuguese Captains for their bravery and steady shoot even at the hardest of times.

Portuguese-Venetian relations - How can I put this? To say that the Doge probably prayed each day that a tsunami sank Portugal, and that the King of Portugal prayed for the same to happen to Venice, is to put their relations on a very nice light. Venice was terrified of the idea of a nation going around Africa to India, for they would avoid having to pay to the Sultan of Cairo and thus would destroy the Venetian monopoly of the spice trade.

Portuguese-Morocco relations - Same as above but Portugal didn't want Morocco to sink they wanted to control all of the coast as to destroy the pirates that attacked Portuguese coasts.

 

[Karolus Rex]

1493​

Riots brew in Lisbon as several members of the Religious Party, mostly supporters of the Archbishop D. Jorge da Costa, target the Jewish, and Muslim quarters. Groups enter their quarters and cause disturbances there, from harassment to beating up Rabbis and even to the killing of a Iman.

Several houses of New Christian were also attacked and one of them was put on fire.

With the growing danger the Jews, Muslim and New Christians begin to arm themselves and several unofficial militias appear.

In response the Archbishop partisans also being to arm themselves and fights become more common.

Angered by his citizens ignoring the law, King John orders five hundred men from the African garrison to be brought to Lisbon to pacify the city.

Ever since the dead of the former Crown-Prince Afonso, Dom João de Menezes had retired from court and went to Africa were his cunning and suicidal courage soon were recognized by the Governor of Ceuta, so when the King had called for soldiers to come to Lisbon, the Count of Alcoutim knew the man to send. Commanding a force of 100 Cavaleiros Vilanos and 400 Almogávares, Dom João reached the city on the same day as Captain da Câmara and his crew.

The African veterans are quickly put to work.

With the Royal Guard supporting them, 200 Almogávares are sent to the house of the Archbishop, that his being guarded by his personal retinue and by several hundreds of fanatical militiamen.

The melee that followed was short and brutal with the African veterans cutting throw the Archbishop ranks like butter. Their brutality was so big that Dom Menezes was forced to intervene on behalf of the surviving enemies to ensure that they didn't killed them, and even so he was forced to promise them a cash prize equal to the value that they would render if they had been Muslim slaves.

In the end the Archbishop is brought by his bear towards the King, where John II quickly gives the man the verbal equivalent to a beating, before throwing the man in the same jail where a Genovese Explorer was placed.

With the fanatics taken care off, the King orders the leaders of the Minorities to come to talk to him.

He chastises them for breaking the law and threatens to give them the same treatment he gave to the Archbishop.

In the end he orders them to throw away their arms and tells them they are lucky he is felling generous.

There the Jewish Leader, Dom Issac Abravanel, offers the King another proposal.

He offers his support to the King in his upcoming war and says that his fellow Jews are more than willing to use their arms in the name of the King.

The proposal, despite several problems, is interesting to the King.

Despite all of his power, the King as never been able to break the nobility's control of the feudal army, which leaves him on their hands in case of war. His attempts to establish a Royal Militia force have been repealed several times, but this time his different. The militias already exist and the only way for the nobles to stop it would be to attack them directly, which would be an attack upon the King and declared rebellion, which the nobility wouldn't want given the way the King had treated previous rebellion attempts.

Seeing that the King is considering the D. Issac's proposal the other two leaders quickly follow his example, even if Dom Abd al-Salam Abdullah was more reluctant and asks the King for his followers to be exempt to fight against fellow Muslims, unless they volunteer to do so.

The King accepts their offer and quickly orders the Condestável, Dom Afonso de Viseu, to organize the men into three Reais Companhias d' Ordenanças.

While the Constable prepares everything, the King and a group of Royal Guards and Almogavars, lead by the Alferes-Mor Dom Manuel da Marca, go to the Câmara de Lisboa and quickly gather its members.

With the most powerful men of Lisbon gathered with him, the King makes it clear that he wants, and will have, peace in the capital. When one of the merchant princes demands the King to free the Archbishop first, the man gains himself a one way ticket to the same prison.

The rest quickly ensures the King that everything will be kept in peace and that their men will disarm themselves. Instead of accepting the last part the King orders them to put their retinues under Royal Command, and while they refuse at first in the end they accept in exchange for monetary compensation.

With the King working at Lisbon, he orders Prince Jorge sail north, to Porto, with Dom de Menezes and some of his men to accompany him as protection. John II know that there is a chance of civil war and he wants to be ready for everything.

While the Prince goes north, the Queens spies leave for Viseu where their mistress is, having leaving Lisbon at the beginning of the year claiming that wouldn't stay in the same place as a bastard.

In Viseu the news hit like a sledgehammer.

Several of the most powerful nobles had already been against the new Crown-Prince, mostly because it place either themselves or their heirs in danger, if a bastard could inherit a Kingdom what would stop another from gaining a county or dukedom? But now their are outraged.

Not only is the King ignoring costume by putting his bastard as his heir, he now ignores their feudal right to arms and his arming peasants and infidels.

Their leader Dom Manuel is unsure on his course.

One one side he has several of the powerful barons encouraging him to take up arms of his, and their, rights and to force the King to back down, to disarm and to name him the new Crown-Prince.

Others, more radical and lead by the Bishop of Viseu, Dom Fernão Gonçalves de Miranda, claim the King as broke royal and ecclesiastic law and that he must be removed. They go as far as offering to crown Dom Manuel on Viseu as the true King.

Divided and torn between his supporters, the Duke manages to gain time by delaying but eventually his sister demands an answer or she will chose for him.

Force to a choice, the Duke looks himself on the the Cathedral of the city and stays there for a full day in search of an answer.

When he leaves the next day, he gives his sister, the Queen, an answer.

He won't take up the Crown, but will raise his banners to protect the King from his advisers that are the cause of all the problems of the Kingdom.

As the House of Aviz-Viseu raises his war flags on the 7th of May, the Portuguese Civil War begins.

*****​

Notes and Explanations:​

D. Jorge da Costa - A small POD here. OTL he was exile by John II in 1478, TTL he wasn't.

Dom João de Menezes - Was one the companions of Crown-Prince Afonso and was the one the Prince was racing when he died. He never lost royal favour but he was horrified by the Prince's dead and he left court and volunteered to fight in Africa. In Africa he became Captain of Arzila and Azamor. His greatest achievement was at the siege of Azrila. With just 150 cavalry he faced Molei Barraxa and his 2800 men, 2000 cavalry and 800 infantry, at the village of Benarmares. His suicidal attack was a success, mostly because the Moroccans couldn't believe 150 men would be crazy enough for a frontal attack. Thanks to crazy courage and luck, the Moroccans were surprised and got disorganized, he won the battle without a single casualty, many were wounded but none died, in turn they killed 418 men, got 28 prisoners and captured all the flags of the enemy.

Cavaleiros Vilanos - Literal English translation is "Village Knights". Made up of men rich enough to own a horse but not part of the nobility, most of the Portuguese cavalry in Africa was made up of them. Most were adventures that were attracted to the border where money could be easily made by capturing enemies to sell them as slaves.

Almogávares - The backbone of the Portuguese African armies. While in the Peninsula they died with the end of the Reconquista in Portuguese Africa, that was at the time part of the Kingdom of the Algarves, they existed until the middle/late 16th century. Their weapons was the same as their Peninsular forefathers and their use was also the same.

Dom Issac ben Jusah Abravanel - One of our greatest philosophers and one of the small POD's. OTL he ended in Naples after being exiled from Portugal for conspiring with the Duke of Braganza. TTL he goes back to Portugal after being exiled from Castille, and his accepted back because here me makes the King an offer of 30,000 ducats in exchange to being allowed to come back (OTL he gave that offer to Ferdinand of Aragon but was refused).

Dom Abd al-Salam Abdullah - Invented. Have no idea how the leader of the Lisbon Islamic population was. If someone knows please inform so that I can fix.

Portuguese Army - Nobility, mostly the powerful ones, where against the creation of a French stilled permanent force because it would remove the King's necessity of having them around to create an armed force.

Condestável - The most powerful war rank in the Kingdom. In English is Constable.

Reais Companhias d' Ordenanças - The name was inspired by the Ordenanças that King Sebastian created in his reign.

Alferes-Mor - Once the most powerful war rank, at this time it was the third. Above them was the Constable and the Marshal.

Dom Fernão Gonçalves de Miranda - While he wasn't exiled by John II and was even his personal chaplain, he think that hypocrisy would be enough to turn him against the King. He was a bastard and from what I read he was in the Queen's side and was against Jorge as the new heir.

Dom Manuel - Didn't changed his personality at all. He was very indecisive and that would work against him, and it did as the King's side gained time. Why he didn't declared himself king? He was cautious and he is still very afraid of the man that killed his brother.

*****​

Any question please ask and don't forget to comment so that I can know if you are liking/hatting the TL.

 

[perfectgeneral]

It seems that the king is starting a territorial auxiliary regiment system for his permanent standing army. Each unit has a very different culture and distinct origin. The core of each might even establish a regular, professional, first line cadre with which to train any recruited temporary or part-time forces.

Retinues under Royal Command seems like a useful measure to test the loyalty of your nobility and a quick means of recruiting more auxiliaries. You know the nobles are going to hire more forces for themselves so this is a repeatable process. This is just the first draft (probably the largest) of the potential call-up.

 

[Karolus Rex]

This is just to point out that I edited a part of the last Update and changed it for have Jorge sail to Porto instead of riding there, a little change but important.

Also if anyone as any sources on the warfare of the 1490's could you please share? I have many books on Roman, Napoleonic and WW1 Warfare but the bookstore I go to as nothing on the 1490's.