Nice TL. I just finished reading it. However, question about the maps. Didn't you say Savoy had gained Provence?
A New Portugal (an alternate Ksar-el-Kebir)
- Thread starter Gonzaga
- Start date
Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy
Banned
Sounds like a pretty lousy deal for the French. The Spanish get a link between Milan and Franche-Comte and a good position to threaten Lyon and the Rhone valley. If I were king of France I'd try to exchange Nice for Bugey and Bresse.
The duke of Savoy was made governor of Provence by the League, but then Savoy was divided between France and Spain.
Thanks very much!
Yes, it was like Dr Pervez said. In the end, Savoy had no male heir, and was divided by Spain and France. I think the Emperor would have agreed on this (after all, Spain was ruled by a Habsburg, and Rudolf II doesn't seem to me the kind of guy who would care for Savoy).
Yes, it is indeed, but the most important aim to Henry IV now was secure his throne, and he accepted the first peace offer that Philip II made. In the other hand, he incorporated into the direct Royal dominions all the lands that belonged to the Houses of Guise and Lorraine (except Lorraine proper, which is an independent duchy). So, Henry IV will have more lands and money. France can be threatened, but the king is stronger now. And, as the war was becoming a long and expensive stalemate, he decided the best to do was secure his throne, get his lands and have a break that would be used to reorganise to a future fight. The problems between France and Spain are far from being solved...
Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy
Banned
In my opinion, the Lorraine and Guise lands are not worth the 3 Bishoprics and the strategic value they'll have in the coming war. (There will be a coming war, of course.) But I can understand that he had to take any deal that was offered.
So, I see you've made the Habsburgs stronger without letting them gobble up Portugal. Do you still intend to put one of them on the Polish throne? That could spice things up and bring in a Central European perspective in the TL - especially if the Austrians make a deal with Muscovy and let the tsar have Lithuania. Who's tsar at that time, Ivan or Feodor? But if you let the Habsburgs get so strong you'll still have to eventually kick their asses.
Yes, as you said, it was a deal he needed to accept (at least for now). In the other hand, having Nice allow the French to threaten Genova, a Spanish ally and the port used by them to transport troop to Milan. It's not as good as having having Bresse, but is still an important threat.
No, unfortunately I gave up that idea. I thought I would lose my focus, that in intended to be on Portugal and the colonies, and instead I would need to do much more research to write about regions that I'm far from be familiar to their history. Maybe in the future, who knows?
The Madness of the King
From “History of the Portuguese Kings”, by João Guimarães Castro
…The choosing of the future Queen of Portugal was the first political defeat for Dom Antonio. Even his allies pressured him to accept the king’s marriage, due to the increasing rumours in the court saying that he wanted Sebastian remaining single in order to be declared heir of the throne. After many conversations with his advisors, the Prior accepted that the king should marry the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain. Although he preferred a princess from another royal house, the union between the Portuguese king and the daughter of Philip II would guarantee peace with the neighbouring country, and would quell the possible intentions of the Spanish king to take the Portuguese throne for himself…
…The ceremony was celebrated in the See of Lisbon by the Archbishop Dom Miguel de Castro on May 15th 1588. After the festivities in the capital, the royal couple went to Évora, where the king was living…
...Isabella’s life was becoming very unhappy in Portugal. The differences between the queen and her king could not be higher. She was fair and cultured, appreciated art and literature, and was used to helping his father in State matters. Sebastian was always ill, distant from power, and was already showing signs of the mental illness from which he would suffer during his last years…
…All the bells of Lisbon rang when the city was reached by the news that Prince Manuel “The Desired” had been born. [1] The king now had an heir, who would continue the dynasty of Aviz, protecting Portugal from the foreign domination…
…Manuel was the consolation of Isabella. Living in a court which didn’t pay attention to arts and culture, and with a husband who was more and more obsessed by the ideas of persecuting traitors, invading the Moorish lands and freeing Jerusalem from the Muslims, the maternal cares for his son were the only relief she had from the oppressive atmosphere around her. Even the almighty Dom Antonio lacked sympathy for her. After all, despite the fact that he could not get a papal declaration that he was free from the stain of illegitimacy, the Prior believed that Isabella and her son were the ones who should be blamed for his failure to be declared able to be in the line of succession…
…The tragedy occurred during the night of September 29th 1591. During those days Isabella was already in her eighth month of pregnancy. She was resting in her room when Sebastian came in, yelling “the Moors are coming”, and that he needed to save the little prince. His servants tried to stop him, but he grabbed the child and ran to the royal stables, where he mounted his horse and, riding with his son, he crossed the open field. Isabella sent soldiers behind him, but they could only follow the king, because not one of them had the courage to stop Sebastian doing anything…
…While trying to cross the Xamarra River, Sebastian left the young prince to fall into the waters. The guards tried to rescue him, but their efforts were in vain. The heir of Portugal died, drowned due to the madness of his own father…
…When news reached Isabella, she cried for hours and hours, until the king returned to the Palace. Then her sadness became anger. She had to stand too much pain since she came to Portugal, but it was the last straw. Three soldiers were needed to stop the Queen from attacking Sebastian, while she insulted him. The king didn’t understand the reason why she was so angry. He only said that the “Moors” had killed the young prince, and an army should be organized to avenge his death.
In this moment Isabella freed herself from the soldiers, and advanced in direction to the king. He, trying to repel her attack, threw her against the ground, and yelling “traitor” kicked her repeatedly. Due to the injuries, the queen had a miscarriage, and died from it…
…When news about what happened in Évora reached Dom Antonio, he was finally convinced that the king’s madness had become too dangerous. After all, if the king would be declared insane, a regent should be chosen. As Dom Antonio had not been declared a legitimate heir, this position would be probably given to Philip II, who would be extremely angry if he knew the truth of how his beloved daughter and his grandson died.
The first act of the Prior was to order the imprisonment of all people involved in the incident, who could spread the truth about what happened in Evora. Dom Antonio told the Spanish ambassador that the Queen had died during a miscarriage, and the prince had got a sudden fever…
…To completely isolate Sebastian from visitors, Dom Antonio moved him to the Moor’s Castle, in Sintra. [2] This medieval fortress was unoccupied for more than a hundred years, and was already becoming a ruin. However, it was the most isolated of the royal possessions, built on the top of a mountain, and was perfect to keep Sebastian far from curious eyes. Inside its walls, the king could do all the mad things he wanted, but not be a threat to anyone. The Prior chose his most loyal servants to work there and keep an eye on Sebastian, who would spend the rest of his life yelling in the corridors and persecuting imaginary Moors.
To maintain the appearance that nothing was wrong with the king, Dom Antonio spread the news that Sebastian had decided to move because Evora was giving him sad memories from his wife and son, and the physicians recommended the air of Sintra’s mounts as beneficial to calm his depression. Also, the Prior decided to move to Sintra, from where he could better control the king’s disease, and left the business of Lisbon to his most loyal man, the Marquis of Portimão, José Fernandes Gramaxo…
[1] He was born on September 23th 1589.
[2] Ironically enough, Sebastian was again imprisoned in a Moorish fortress…
From “History of the Portuguese Kings”, by João Guimarães Castro
…The choosing of the future Queen of Portugal was the first political defeat for Dom Antonio. Even his allies pressured him to accept the king’s marriage, due to the increasing rumours in the court saying that he wanted Sebastian remaining single in order to be declared heir of the throne. After many conversations with his advisors, the Prior accepted that the king should marry the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain. Although he preferred a princess from another royal house, the union between the Portuguese king and the daughter of Philip II would guarantee peace with the neighbouring country, and would quell the possible intentions of the Spanish king to take the Portuguese throne for himself…
…The ceremony was celebrated in the See of Lisbon by the Archbishop Dom Miguel de Castro on May 15th 1588. After the festivities in the capital, the royal couple went to Évora, where the king was living…
...Isabella’s life was becoming very unhappy in Portugal. The differences between the queen and her king could not be higher. She was fair and cultured, appreciated art and literature, and was used to helping his father in State matters. Sebastian was always ill, distant from power, and was already showing signs of the mental illness from which he would suffer during his last years…
…All the bells of Lisbon rang when the city was reached by the news that Prince Manuel “The Desired” had been born. [1] The king now had an heir, who would continue the dynasty of Aviz, protecting Portugal from the foreign domination…
…Manuel was the consolation of Isabella. Living in a court which didn’t pay attention to arts and culture, and with a husband who was more and more obsessed by the ideas of persecuting traitors, invading the Moorish lands and freeing Jerusalem from the Muslims, the maternal cares for his son were the only relief she had from the oppressive atmosphere around her. Even the almighty Dom Antonio lacked sympathy for her. After all, despite the fact that he could not get a papal declaration that he was free from the stain of illegitimacy, the Prior believed that Isabella and her son were the ones who should be blamed for his failure to be declared able to be in the line of succession…
…The tragedy occurred during the night of September 29th 1591. During those days Isabella was already in her eighth month of pregnancy. She was resting in her room when Sebastian came in, yelling “the Moors are coming”, and that he needed to save the little prince. His servants tried to stop him, but he grabbed the child and ran to the royal stables, where he mounted his horse and, riding with his son, he crossed the open field. Isabella sent soldiers behind him, but they could only follow the king, because not one of them had the courage to stop Sebastian doing anything…
…While trying to cross the Xamarra River, Sebastian left the young prince to fall into the waters. The guards tried to rescue him, but their efforts were in vain. The heir of Portugal died, drowned due to the madness of his own father…
…When news reached Isabella, she cried for hours and hours, until the king returned to the Palace. Then her sadness became anger. She had to stand too much pain since she came to Portugal, but it was the last straw. Three soldiers were needed to stop the Queen from attacking Sebastian, while she insulted him. The king didn’t understand the reason why she was so angry. He only said that the “Moors” had killed the young prince, and an army should be organized to avenge his death.
In this moment Isabella freed herself from the soldiers, and advanced in direction to the king. He, trying to repel her attack, threw her against the ground, and yelling “traitor” kicked her repeatedly. Due to the injuries, the queen had a miscarriage, and died from it…
…When news about what happened in Évora reached Dom Antonio, he was finally convinced that the king’s madness had become too dangerous. After all, if the king would be declared insane, a regent should be chosen. As Dom Antonio had not been declared a legitimate heir, this position would be probably given to Philip II, who would be extremely angry if he knew the truth of how his beloved daughter and his grandson died.
The first act of the Prior was to order the imprisonment of all people involved in the incident, who could spread the truth about what happened in Evora. Dom Antonio told the Spanish ambassador that the Queen had died during a miscarriage, and the prince had got a sudden fever…
…To completely isolate Sebastian from visitors, Dom Antonio moved him to the Moor’s Castle, in Sintra. [2] This medieval fortress was unoccupied for more than a hundred years, and was already becoming a ruin. However, it was the most isolated of the royal possessions, built on the top of a mountain, and was perfect to keep Sebastian far from curious eyes. Inside its walls, the king could do all the mad things he wanted, but not be a threat to anyone. The Prior chose his most loyal servants to work there and keep an eye on Sebastian, who would spend the rest of his life yelling in the corridors and persecuting imaginary Moors.
To maintain the appearance that nothing was wrong with the king, Dom Antonio spread the news that Sebastian had decided to move because Evora was giving him sad memories from his wife and son, and the physicians recommended the air of Sintra’s mounts as beneficial to calm his depression. Also, the Prior decided to move to Sintra, from where he could better control the king’s disease, and left the business of Lisbon to his most loyal man, the Marquis of Portimão, José Fernandes Gramaxo…
[1] He was born on September 23th 1589.
[2] Ironically enough, Sebastian was again imprisoned in a Moorish fortress…
Looks like this is the end of poor Sebastian. How did he go mad? Syphilis?
Anyway, seems like interesting times are in for the throne of Portugal...
Anyway, seems like interesting times are in for the throne of Portugal...
Well, basically he was imprisoned during almost 04 years in a Moroccan fortress, and suffered many punishments. As even before he went to Morocco he wasn't a very sensible man (he used to visit the tombs of the Portuguese kings, order to open them and then praise the corpses of those who were warriors and despise those who were peaceful) all the pain he suffered caused him a kind of trauma, which slowly drove him mad.
And indeed, the next succession crisis (I hope to post it soon) will be very interesting...
Well, basically he was imprisoned during almost 04 years in a Moroccan fortress, and suffered many punishments. As even before he went to Morocco he wasn't a very sensible man (he used to visit the tombs of the Portuguese kings, order to open them and then praise the corpses of those who were warriors and despise those who were peaceful) all the pain he suffered caused him a kind of trauma, which slowly drove him mad.
And indeed, the next succession crisis (I hope to post it soon) will be very interesting...
Syphilis might have been interesting though, because it might imply that various.... children are waiting in the wings.
Syphilis might have been interesting though, because it might imply that various.... children are waiting in the wings.
Well, maybe SteveW, who is doing other TL about almost the same POD (an alternate Ksar-el-Kebir) might use this idea!
But I have other plans...Yes, there were some rumours. I thought about using it, but then I decided to make him crazy due to the prison instead. Probably ITTL historians will argue about a possible influence of syphillis on his madness, so is better to let some details about his life more os less obscure.
Thanks very much!
Before posting again, I need to do a correction: where in the other chapters you read José Fernandes Gramaxo, please read Jorge Fernandes Gramaxo. I confused the names...
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Chapter 17
The Marquis of Portimão
From “A Statesman of Portugal – The Life of Jorge Fernandes Gramaxo”, by Antonio Carlos Jobim
…Although the correct date of his birth is unknown, it is certain that Jorge Fernandes was born in 1558 in Portimão. His parents were Antonio Nunes Gramaxo and Leonor Fernandes, both from merchant families of Jewish descent. They were the target of many persecutions from the Inquisition throughout their lives…[1]
...Destiny finally smiled on him in April 1582, when Sebastian I, who had been in captivity in Morocco since 1578, arrived with a fleet at Lagos. The king was assembling an army to retake his throne from the usurper Catarina, Duchess of Braganza. Gramaxo found the opportunity he was looking for. If he could gain some glory in the royal army, maybe he could gain contact with someone influential in the court who could annul the lawsuits which the Inquisition was moving against his family…
…In the heat of the battle, Gramaxo saw the Duke of Braganza close to him. In the same moment, he launched his pike against him, hitting the Duke on his neck, and making him fall to the ground. Braganza’s men tried to help him, but they were stopped by the royal knights, allowing Jorge Fernandes to complete the task…
…The king made him a knight while still on the battlefield. Witnesses affirmed that Sebastian said “if four years ago I had had a hundred men like you, today I would be Emperor of Morocco”…
…When Dom Antonio asked him what he wanted as reward, Jorge said that all he wished was “to help the king to build his second reign”. Impressed by this answer, and sensing the young man had potential, the Prior invited him to work in the Royal Palace, as one of his secretaries…
…Thanks to Dom Antonio’s protection Jorge Fernandes could save his family from the Inquisition. However, it wasn’t enough. Even if the Prior had sympathies for the Jews due to the aid they gave to him in Morocco, Gramaxo knew that sooner or later the persecution could begin again. It was necessary to find a way to assure a pacific future for his family and other marranos…
…Due to his influence, many rich merchants with Jewish ties bought the titles of nobility taken from Dom Antonio’s enemies. Gramaxo believed the richest marranos could ensure a safer future becoming nobles. Also, buying the titles would increase the Royal Treasury, leading to a strengthened alliance between Dom Antonio and the Jews. In return for Gramaxo’s help, Dom Antonio convinced the king to make him Marquis of Portimão in 1590…
…When Sebastian and Dom Antonio moved to Sintra, Gramaxo stayed in Lisbon, as Antonio’s strongman in the capital. It made him de facto a co-secretary of the Prior, who authorized all his actions…
…As the treaty of Antwerp stated that all the Jews in Netherlands should be expelled, Jorge Fernandes sent his brother Francisco Nunes as ambassador to Amsterdam. His mission was to convince the Jews of Portuguese origin living there to return to Portugal. Although the majority refused, seeking refuge in other places like England, France and the Ottoman Empire, almost a third of them accepted Gramaxo’s invitation, moving back to Portugal…
…Dom Antonio’s death in August 30 1595 [2] caused the worst crisis Gramaxo had ever dealt with. The king was imprisoned in the Moor’s Castle, completely insane. As no regent was ever indicated, because Dom Antonio wanted to keep the appearance that the king was normal, there was no one who could officially nominate Gramaxo as Secretary of State, despite the fact that he had already been doing this work de facto since 1591. Also, there were already two strong candidates for the position: the Archbishop of Lisbon, Dom Miguel de Castro, and Dom Antonio’s eldest son, Dom Manuel… [3]
…He didn’t have the intelligence of the father, but was as ambitious as him. Being the bastard of a bastard, Manuel’s chances of being declared heir of Sebastian were nearly zero. However, he had a faint hope that the Portuguese Courts, in order to avoid the kingdom being swallowed by Spain, would choose him, like they would have chosen his father. Therefore, he needed to show that he was born to rule. And nothing was better than exercising the position of his father as Secretary of State to prove it. But, instead of Dom Antonio, Manuel had no intention of sharing his powers…
…In order to avoid the Archbishop taking the post, which could destroy his policy of tolerance, Gramaxo made a deal with Manuel. He would renounce all his power within the government, giving a free hand to Manuel. Also, he would go to Rome, where he would do everything possible to ensure the Prior’s son to be declared legitimate, under the allegation that Dom Antonio had secretly married Ana Barbosa. In exchange Manuel would support all the tolerant policies that Gramaxo made, and would keep the Inquisition under control
… Gramaxo went to Sintra, from which he brought a document with the royal seal, where there was a declaration of Sebastian nominating Dom Manuel as Secretary of State. [4] Then, he left for Rome, where he would spend the next 10 months defending Dom Manuel's claims, until the Succession Crisis of 1596…
[1] In OTL his family was arrested by the Inquisition, and to not suffer the same fate he fled in 1588 to Cartagena de las Índias, where his uncle Álvaro Gramaxo became a successful slave trader. Jorge Fernandes died rich and without issue in 1626 in Cartagena, leaving a great fortune to his nephews, who could not enjoy it because they were all persecuted by the Inquisition some years later.
[2] Dom Antonio died OTL in August 26 1585, from a crisis of uremia. ITTL he only survives a few more days.
[3] Dom Manuel de Portugal was born in 1568. He was the son of Dom Antonio and a commoner named Ana Barbosa. In OTL he married in 1599 Emilia of Nassau, princess of Orange, from who he divorced in 1625 due to religious issues.
[4] A forged document, of course.
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Chapter 17
The Marquis of Portimão
From “A Statesman of Portugal – The Life of Jorge Fernandes Gramaxo”, by Antonio Carlos Jobim
…Although the correct date of his birth is unknown, it is certain that Jorge Fernandes was born in 1558 in Portimão. His parents were Antonio Nunes Gramaxo and Leonor Fernandes, both from merchant families of Jewish descent. They were the target of many persecutions from the Inquisition throughout their lives…[1]
...Destiny finally smiled on him in April 1582, when Sebastian I, who had been in captivity in Morocco since 1578, arrived with a fleet at Lagos. The king was assembling an army to retake his throne from the usurper Catarina, Duchess of Braganza. Gramaxo found the opportunity he was looking for. If he could gain some glory in the royal army, maybe he could gain contact with someone influential in the court who could annul the lawsuits which the Inquisition was moving against his family…
…In the heat of the battle, Gramaxo saw the Duke of Braganza close to him. In the same moment, he launched his pike against him, hitting the Duke on his neck, and making him fall to the ground. Braganza’s men tried to help him, but they were stopped by the royal knights, allowing Jorge Fernandes to complete the task…
…The king made him a knight while still on the battlefield. Witnesses affirmed that Sebastian said “if four years ago I had had a hundred men like you, today I would be Emperor of Morocco”…
…When Dom Antonio asked him what he wanted as reward, Jorge said that all he wished was “to help the king to build his second reign”. Impressed by this answer, and sensing the young man had potential, the Prior invited him to work in the Royal Palace, as one of his secretaries…
…Thanks to Dom Antonio’s protection Jorge Fernandes could save his family from the Inquisition. However, it wasn’t enough. Even if the Prior had sympathies for the Jews due to the aid they gave to him in Morocco, Gramaxo knew that sooner or later the persecution could begin again. It was necessary to find a way to assure a pacific future for his family and other marranos…
…Due to his influence, many rich merchants with Jewish ties bought the titles of nobility taken from Dom Antonio’s enemies. Gramaxo believed the richest marranos could ensure a safer future becoming nobles. Also, buying the titles would increase the Royal Treasury, leading to a strengthened alliance between Dom Antonio and the Jews. In return for Gramaxo’s help, Dom Antonio convinced the king to make him Marquis of Portimão in 1590…
…When Sebastian and Dom Antonio moved to Sintra, Gramaxo stayed in Lisbon, as Antonio’s strongman in the capital. It made him de facto a co-secretary of the Prior, who authorized all his actions…
…As the treaty of Antwerp stated that all the Jews in Netherlands should be expelled, Jorge Fernandes sent his brother Francisco Nunes as ambassador to Amsterdam. His mission was to convince the Jews of Portuguese origin living there to return to Portugal. Although the majority refused, seeking refuge in other places like England, France and the Ottoman Empire, almost a third of them accepted Gramaxo’s invitation, moving back to Portugal…
…Dom Antonio’s death in August 30 1595 [2] caused the worst crisis Gramaxo had ever dealt with. The king was imprisoned in the Moor’s Castle, completely insane. As no regent was ever indicated, because Dom Antonio wanted to keep the appearance that the king was normal, there was no one who could officially nominate Gramaxo as Secretary of State, despite the fact that he had already been doing this work de facto since 1591. Also, there were already two strong candidates for the position: the Archbishop of Lisbon, Dom Miguel de Castro, and Dom Antonio’s eldest son, Dom Manuel… [3]
…He didn’t have the intelligence of the father, but was as ambitious as him. Being the bastard of a bastard, Manuel’s chances of being declared heir of Sebastian were nearly zero. However, he had a faint hope that the Portuguese Courts, in order to avoid the kingdom being swallowed by Spain, would choose him, like they would have chosen his father. Therefore, he needed to show that he was born to rule. And nothing was better than exercising the position of his father as Secretary of State to prove it. But, instead of Dom Antonio, Manuel had no intention of sharing his powers…
…In order to avoid the Archbishop taking the post, which could destroy his policy of tolerance, Gramaxo made a deal with Manuel. He would renounce all his power within the government, giving a free hand to Manuel. Also, he would go to Rome, where he would do everything possible to ensure the Prior’s son to be declared legitimate, under the allegation that Dom Antonio had secretly married Ana Barbosa. In exchange Manuel would support all the tolerant policies that Gramaxo made, and would keep the Inquisition under control
… Gramaxo went to Sintra, from which he brought a document with the royal seal, where there was a declaration of Sebastian nominating Dom Manuel as Secretary of State. [4] Then, he left for Rome, where he would spend the next 10 months defending Dom Manuel's claims, until the Succession Crisis of 1596…
[1] In OTL his family was arrested by the Inquisition, and to not suffer the same fate he fled in 1588 to Cartagena de las Índias, where his uncle Álvaro Gramaxo became a successful slave trader. Jorge Fernandes died rich and without issue in 1626 in Cartagena, leaving a great fortune to his nephews, who could not enjoy it because they were all persecuted by the Inquisition some years later.
[2] Dom Antonio died OTL in August 26 1585, from a crisis of uremia. ITTL he only survives a few more days.
[3] Dom Manuel de Portugal was born in 1568. He was the son of Dom Antonio and a commoner named Ana Barbosa. In OTL he married in 1599 Emilia of Nassau, princess of Orange, from who he divorced in 1625 due to religious issues.
[4] A forged document, of course.
Chapter 18
Philip II is dead
From “The Lives of the Spanish Kings”, by Mario Vargas Llosa…
…The deaths of Isabel and his grandsons Manuel and Filippo made the king suffer a harsh depression, which would follow him during his last years. Also, the fact of knowing that his son was not the best prepared man to rule all his dominions only increased Philip’s sadness. The peace in the Netherlands and the marriage of Catalina and the Grand Duke Albert were the only happy moments he had during those times…
…In December 1595, already being afflicted by gout, Philip II developed a fever which his physicians were not able to mitigate. They decided to try a bleeding, in order to extract the bad humours from his body. However, some days later, pus started to be seen in the scars… [1]
…Feeling ill, and believing his time of passing away was coming, Philip decided to retire to the Palace of Escorial. However, the journey during winter did not help his condition. Finally, on January 15th 1596, the old king died…
…The death of the great king made his son ascend to the throne as Philip III. Unfortunately, he lacked the same qualities to rule an empire as had his father, and trusted too much in his “validos”, such as the Duke of Lerma…
[1] The depression made his immune system weaker, and that’s why he got the disease. However, the pus came from an infection caused by dirty instruments used by his physicians during the bleeding.
Philip II is dead
From “The Lives of the Spanish Kings”, by Mario Vargas Llosa…
…The deaths of Isabel and his grandsons Manuel and Filippo made the king suffer a harsh depression, which would follow him during his last years. Also, the fact of knowing that his son was not the best prepared man to rule all his dominions only increased Philip’s sadness. The peace in the Netherlands and the marriage of Catalina and the Grand Duke Albert were the only happy moments he had during those times…
…In December 1595, already being afflicted by gout, Philip II developed a fever which his physicians were not able to mitigate. They decided to try a bleeding, in order to extract the bad humours from his body. However, some days later, pus started to be seen in the scars… [1]
…Feeling ill, and believing his time of passing away was coming, Philip decided to retire to the Palace of Escorial. However, the journey during winter did not help his condition. Finally, on January 15th 1596, the old king died…
…The death of the great king made his son ascend to the throne as Philip III. Unfortunately, he lacked the same qualities to rule an empire as had his father, and trusted too much in his “validos”, such as the Duke of Lerma…
[1] The depression made his immune system weaker, and that’s why he got the disease. However, the pus came from an infection caused by dirty instruments used by his physicians during the bleeding.
Chapter 19
The Bastards' War
From “The War of the Portuguese Succession”, by Graciliano Ramos
…The instability was constant for Dom Manuel’s government from the beginning. The nobility, which had already been diminished by the Moroccan and the Restoration Wars, suffered in silence during the rule of his father, who terribly weakened his powers through a policy of persecution and centralisation. The obedience given by the nobles to his father was only kept by fear and the Prior’s influence over the king, which allowed him to exercise a firm control over the military commanders (despite the majority of them already being his allies since 1582)…
…The first reaction against Dom Manuel came from the Duke of Aveiro, Alvaro of Lancaster. [1] Due to the traditional rivalry between his family and the Braganzas, he had supported Dom Antonio since the beginning of the Restoration War. When the Prior took over the command of the government, Dom Alvaro was rewarded, receiving many fiefdoms held until then by the Dukes of Braganza. Also, Dom Antonio forced Alvaro’s cousin, Juliana, Duchess of Aveiro, to marry him, in order to ensure that the Dukedom would not be given to someone outside the family. [2] In exchange, Lancaster would canvass the support of other nobles to elect Dom Antonio in the Courts as presumptive heir of the throne, as soon as he would be declared legitimate. [3]
The death of the Prior completely changed the net of supporters which he had formed. As Dom Antonio died without the Papal recognition, and his son Manuel was also illegitimate, few people in the kingdom were willing to accept the pretensions to the Portuguese throne from the bastard of a bastard. Due to the royal decree nominating him Secretary of State no reaction was immediately made. However, the nobles who believed in the necessity of a Portuguese king in order to avoid the country being swallowed by the Spanish Habsburgs started to discuss the possibility of supporting Aveiro as the legitimate heir, due to his family’s connections to the crown…
…The hierarchy of the Church was divided on this issue. The Archbishop of Lisbon, who had already given orders to the Inquisition to restart the “extirpation of the Hebrew peril on the Portuguese lands”, was showing sympathies for Philip III of Spain, who was believed to be the best representative of Catholic interests. [4] Other bishops, who had familial connection to the Lancasters, were leaning towards Dom Alvaro…
…The only group which was fully supportive of Dom Manuel was the marranos, who hoped he would continue the tolerant policies of his father. The burghers and merchants were divided, because few of them really believed in Dom Manuel’s possibility of taking the throne…
...After discovering the true about the king’s health, Aveiro didn’t denounce the fact immediately. Instead, he approached the servants who were taking care of Sebastian in the Moor’s Castle, promising them many benefits in exchange for their help…
…Being marked with the royal seal, the documents were legitimate. The king nominated the Duke of Aveiro as his new Secretary of State, and also declared him the heir presumptive of the Portuguese throne. [5] Realizing Lancaster’s maneuver, Dom Manuel immediately ordered his imprisonment. However, in April 03 1596, on the way to Sintra, the soldiers who should have arrested Dom Alvaro were trapped by his supporters…
…Knowing that his position was fragile, Dom Manuel fled to the Algarves, where his support was stronger. In many places there were revolts against Dom Alvaro or Dom Manuel, depending on the political side of the local rulers. Lisbon became a city without law, with Lancastrians and Manuelists clashing in the streets…
[1] The Lancaster (or Lancastre in Portuguese) in Portugal were descendents of Dom Jorge of Lancaster, an illegitimate son of João II. Therefore, they were a lesser branch of the House of Aviz, as were the Braganzas.
[2] Juliana was the only daughter of Dom Jorge of Lancaster, Duke of Aveiro, who died (like OTL) in Ksar-el-Kebir. In OTL, it was Philip II who made Juliana marry her cousin Alvaro, making him Duke. ITTL, this role is exercised by Dom Antonio.
[3] Which never occurred due to Spanish pressure on the Pope.
[4] Despite having followed Dom Antonio’s policy of tolerance until then, the Archbishop Dom Miguel only acted this way due to the benefits he received from Dom Antonio. Now, as the Prior is dead, he doesn’t need to avoid persecuting Jews and marranos anymore. However, Dom Manuel put pressure on him to delay the persecution, because he needed the support of the Marquis of Portimão. Of course, only until he will be declared the legitimate heir.
[5] More forged documents. Aveiro bribed the keepers of the royal seal in order to use it for his own benefit. [/quote]
The Bastards' War
From “The War of the Portuguese Succession”, by Graciliano Ramos
…The instability was constant for Dom Manuel’s government from the beginning. The nobility, which had already been diminished by the Moroccan and the Restoration Wars, suffered in silence during the rule of his father, who terribly weakened his powers through a policy of persecution and centralisation. The obedience given by the nobles to his father was only kept by fear and the Prior’s influence over the king, which allowed him to exercise a firm control over the military commanders (despite the majority of them already being his allies since 1582)…
…The first reaction against Dom Manuel came from the Duke of Aveiro, Alvaro of Lancaster. [1] Due to the traditional rivalry between his family and the Braganzas, he had supported Dom Antonio since the beginning of the Restoration War. When the Prior took over the command of the government, Dom Alvaro was rewarded, receiving many fiefdoms held until then by the Dukes of Braganza. Also, Dom Antonio forced Alvaro’s cousin, Juliana, Duchess of Aveiro, to marry him, in order to ensure that the Dukedom would not be given to someone outside the family. [2] In exchange, Lancaster would canvass the support of other nobles to elect Dom Antonio in the Courts as presumptive heir of the throne, as soon as he would be declared legitimate. [3]
The death of the Prior completely changed the net of supporters which he had formed. As Dom Antonio died without the Papal recognition, and his son Manuel was also illegitimate, few people in the kingdom were willing to accept the pretensions to the Portuguese throne from the bastard of a bastard. Due to the royal decree nominating him Secretary of State no reaction was immediately made. However, the nobles who believed in the necessity of a Portuguese king in order to avoid the country being swallowed by the Spanish Habsburgs started to discuss the possibility of supporting Aveiro as the legitimate heir, due to his family’s connections to the crown…
…The hierarchy of the Church was divided on this issue. The Archbishop of Lisbon, who had already given orders to the Inquisition to restart the “extirpation of the Hebrew peril on the Portuguese lands”, was showing sympathies for Philip III of Spain, who was believed to be the best representative of Catholic interests. [4] Other bishops, who had familial connection to the Lancasters, were leaning towards Dom Alvaro…
…The only group which was fully supportive of Dom Manuel was the marranos, who hoped he would continue the tolerant policies of his father. The burghers and merchants were divided, because few of them really believed in Dom Manuel’s possibility of taking the throne…
...After discovering the true about the king’s health, Aveiro didn’t denounce the fact immediately. Instead, he approached the servants who were taking care of Sebastian in the Moor’s Castle, promising them many benefits in exchange for their help…
…Being marked with the royal seal, the documents were legitimate. The king nominated the Duke of Aveiro as his new Secretary of State, and also declared him the heir presumptive of the Portuguese throne. [5] Realizing Lancaster’s maneuver, Dom Manuel immediately ordered his imprisonment. However, in April 03 1596, on the way to Sintra, the soldiers who should have arrested Dom Alvaro were trapped by his supporters…
…Knowing that his position was fragile, Dom Manuel fled to the Algarves, where his support was stronger. In many places there were revolts against Dom Alvaro or Dom Manuel, depending on the political side of the local rulers. Lisbon became a city without law, with Lancastrians and Manuelists clashing in the streets…
[1] The Lancaster (or Lancastre in Portuguese) in Portugal were descendents of Dom Jorge of Lancaster, an illegitimate son of João II. Therefore, they were a lesser branch of the House of Aviz, as were the Braganzas.
[2] Juliana was the only daughter of Dom Jorge of Lancaster, Duke of Aveiro, who died (like OTL) in Ksar-el-Kebir. In OTL, it was Philip II who made Juliana marry her cousin Alvaro, making him Duke. ITTL, this role is exercised by Dom Antonio.
[3] Which never occurred due to Spanish pressure on the Pope.
[4] Despite having followed Dom Antonio’s policy of tolerance until then, the Archbishop Dom Miguel only acted this way due to the benefits he received from Dom Antonio. Now, as the Prior is dead, he doesn’t need to avoid persecuting Jews and marranos anymore. However, Dom Manuel put pressure on him to delay the persecution, because he needed the support of the Marquis of Portimão. Of course, only until he will be declared the legitimate heir.
[5] More forged documents. Aveiro bribed the keepers of the royal seal in order to use it for his own benefit. [/quote]
Chapter 20
The Battle of Acclamations
From “The War of the Portuguese Succession”, by Graciliano Ramos
…After four months of rebellion the situation seemed to be stabilized, with Aveiro controlling the North and Manuel the South. However, in both areas there were pockets of resistance. The Lancastrians were having many difficulties in conquering the city of Porto, where Bento da Costa [1] was commanding the militias. In the Manuelist territory, Setubal was firmly in the hands of Aveiro’s sympathizers…
…The latest conquest of Lisbon by the Lancastrians lowered the morale among Dom Manuel’s troops. He knew he needed a great victory to keep alive the hopes of his allies, and so decided for an attack Setubal, in order to possess a location from which he could menace the capital…
…In the morning of September 10th, 1596, near Alcacer do Sal, Dom Manuel sighted the troops of Lancaster, who guessed his plan and decided to strike first, before they could reach Setubal. And Aveiro had a trump card for this battle. In front of his soldiers, he had the King of Portugal in person, and wearing complete armour… [2]
…When the king saw the line of enemy knights in front of him, he did not wait for his troops to be aligned. Shouting “death to the Moors”, he advanced towards the Manuelist troops, who were so surprised by the scene that they didn’t react, not knowing if they should attack the king or surrender to their sovereign. However, such a decision was not required. All the years of disease and debilitations finally claimed the royal life. During the charge, not afforded the height of his own armour, Sebastian fell from his horse, breaking his neck when he hit the ground. His knights tried to help him, and the battle was halted, until one of them announced “the king is dead”.
Hearing it, the soldiers near to the Duke of Aveiro started to acclaim him, saying “The king is dead! Long live the king Alvaro!”. On the other side of the battlefield, realizing what was happening in the enemy army, the Manuelists did the same, acclaiming his leader as “King Manuel II”. And Manuel, taking advantage of the confusion in the Lancastrian army, ordered a charge against them. However, the enemies reacted…
After half an hour, and realizing that the Lancastrians were stronger, Manuel ordered the retreat. Dom Alvaro declared victory, and went to Lisbon with the body of king Sebastian I. He installed himself in the Royal Palace, where he would plan the invasion of the Algarves and the final attack against Manuel. However, he did not expect to have to fight a much more powerful army, which was already assembling on the other side of the border….
[1] In OTL he was the father of the Jewish philosopher Gabriel da Costa, or Uriel Acosta, as he was known. ITTL his son, also named Gabriel, will have a slightly different character, but also will have an important role in Portugal’s fate.
[2] Dom Alvaro of Lancaster ordered king be brought to the battle, as a demonstration that he had royal support for his claims.
The Battle of Acclamations
From “The War of the Portuguese Succession”, by Graciliano Ramos
…After four months of rebellion the situation seemed to be stabilized, with Aveiro controlling the North and Manuel the South. However, in both areas there were pockets of resistance. The Lancastrians were having many difficulties in conquering the city of Porto, where Bento da Costa [1] was commanding the militias. In the Manuelist territory, Setubal was firmly in the hands of Aveiro’s sympathizers…
…The latest conquest of Lisbon by the Lancastrians lowered the morale among Dom Manuel’s troops. He knew he needed a great victory to keep alive the hopes of his allies, and so decided for an attack Setubal, in order to possess a location from which he could menace the capital…
…In the morning of September 10th, 1596, near Alcacer do Sal, Dom Manuel sighted the troops of Lancaster, who guessed his plan and decided to strike first, before they could reach Setubal. And Aveiro had a trump card for this battle. In front of his soldiers, he had the King of Portugal in person, and wearing complete armour… [2]
…When the king saw the line of enemy knights in front of him, he did not wait for his troops to be aligned. Shouting “death to the Moors”, he advanced towards the Manuelist troops, who were so surprised by the scene that they didn’t react, not knowing if they should attack the king or surrender to their sovereign. However, such a decision was not required. All the years of disease and debilitations finally claimed the royal life. During the charge, not afforded the height of his own armour, Sebastian fell from his horse, breaking his neck when he hit the ground. His knights tried to help him, and the battle was halted, until one of them announced “the king is dead”.
Hearing it, the soldiers near to the Duke of Aveiro started to acclaim him, saying “The king is dead! Long live the king Alvaro!”. On the other side of the battlefield, realizing what was happening in the enemy army, the Manuelists did the same, acclaiming his leader as “King Manuel II”. And Manuel, taking advantage of the confusion in the Lancastrian army, ordered a charge against them. However, the enemies reacted…
After half an hour, and realizing that the Lancastrians were stronger, Manuel ordered the retreat. Dom Alvaro declared victory, and went to Lisbon with the body of king Sebastian I. He installed himself in the Royal Palace, where he would plan the invasion of the Algarves and the final attack against Manuel. However, he did not expect to have to fight a much more powerful army, which was already assembling on the other side of the border….
[1] In OTL he was the father of the Jewish philosopher Gabriel da Costa, or Uriel Acosta, as he was known. ITTL his son, also named Gabriel, will have a slightly different character, but also will have an important role in Portugal’s fate.
[2] Dom Alvaro of Lancaster ordered king be brought to the battle, as a demonstration that he had royal support for his claims.
Chapter 21
The Dawn of a New Age
From “A Statesman of Portugal – The Life of Jorge Fernandes Gramaxo”, by Antonio Carlos Jobim
…Gramaxo lost any hope of reaching his aims in Rome. Despite the fact that Pope Clement VIII was trying to follow a foreign policy more independent of Spanish interests, legitimizing the bastard of a bastard as king of Portugal was too much to accept. Also, the Archbishop of Lisbon had already sent messages warning against such a proposal. And, to make his work even harder, Gramaxo himself didn’t have sympathies for Manuel, for his belief that he would be ruled out as soon as his services would no longer be needed…
…Although there are many versions of the description of their meeting, the only fact that all the sources agree with is that Gramaxo was introduced to the Cardinal Odoardo Farnese [1] in February, before the Lancastrian rebellion had even started…
…With the death of the Spanish king, his son Philip III inherited his rights to the throne of Portugal, being the great grandson of Manuel I. However, the king of Spain was a descendent of the Portuguese king through a female line. The only descendent of Manuel I through a male line was Ranuccio Farnese, son of the Duke of Parma, and therefore, according to tradition, he had legally a higher claim to the throne… [2]
…Gramaxo’s idea was simple: if Manuel was an improbable candidate for the throne, and Philip III would mean the end of Portuguese independence (and also the end of Marquis’s policies for the country), he would try to launch a third candidate, someone who would be willing to accept help for taking a crown. So, Jorge Fernandes went to Parma, where he discussed the matter with the Duke Alessandro Farnese…
…While being in Parma, Gramaxo received news from Portugal, where the Lancastrian rebellion became a real civil war. Although Lancaster had strong support from the nobility, the majority of the military commanders of garrisons, most of them chosen by Dom Antonio, were still allied to Manuel (but many were already shifting sides). Lisbon was turned into chaos, with the city’s government being taken alternately by Manuelists and Lancastrians …
…The war between two illegitimate heirs made Farnese finally decide in favor of Gramaxo’s plan. According to chronicles from that age, the Duke supposedly had said to his son Ranuccio that “the Ungrateful [3] didn’t give you Flanders, but I will make his son give you a kingdom”…
…The agreement would never be done without Papal approval. Therefore, the Cardinal Odoardo Farnese presented Ranuccio's claims for the throne of Portugal to Clement VIII, expecting the Pope to declare him as the legitimate successor of Sebastian I. Despite believing the Pope would do it anyway, because it would be a form to diminish the Spanish influence, the Duke of Parma also promised to renounce his rights to the Duchy of Castro, and give all his lands and properties in that territory back to the Papal States…
…With the Papal blessing, on August 26 1596 was signed with the Spanish ambassador the Treaty of Rome, in which Philip III recognized the higher claims of Ranuccio Farnese to the Portuguese throne. By the document, Farnese would be king of Portugal, but his marriage to Isabel of Savoy, Philip III’s niece (and a possible heir to the Portuguese crown) was arranged for when she would come of age. The Duke of Parma would renounce all his rights to the Duchy of Castro, which would be annexed to the Papal States, and the Duchy of Piacenza would be reincorporated into the Spanish territory of Milan. [4] Also, the cities of Ortona and Castellamare di Stabia, which were Farnese’s fiefdoms, would be given back to the Kingdom of Naples. [5] Finally, after having secured his throne, another treaty should be signed, which would revise the borders between the Portuguese and Spanish colonial claims. In exchange, Spain would give to Farnese all the military assistance needed to gain his throne…
…Despite Alessandro Farnese being constrained to given up so many territories, gaining the kingdom of Portugal for his son would make it worthwhile. After all, Italy was too unstable, his father had had to fight hard in order to secure his rights to Parma and Piacenza, and there were no warranties that in the future the Pope or the Emperor would choose another condottiero to take his lands. But there was just one point on which the Duke was unwilling to compromise: he must be the commander of the troops which would invade Portugal…
From “The War of Portuguese Succession”, by Graciliano Ramos
…The information that the Pope had declared Ranuccio of Parma as the legitimate king of Portugal caused diverse reactions throughout the country. Both Dom Alvaro and Dom Manuel refused to accept what they considered as “foreign interference in the liberties of the Portuguese Courts”. However, both sides lost supporters, some because they were afraid of being against a Papal declaration, and others who were not willing to fight the Spanish army that was already assembling on the border…
…Following papal orders, the Archbishop of Lisbon declared both “declared kings” as usurpers and not deserving the obedience of his subjects and vassals. It caused a revolt in Lisbon against Aveiro, headed by the remaining Manuelists in the city, who were considering it a revenge for his last defeat. The people joined the rebellion, and Dom Alvaro needed to flee to Almada, on the other side of the Tagus…
…In Porto, the troops that were besieging the city made a truce with the Manuelists. They made an agreement with Bento da Costa, and both armies decided to wait further developments of the situation…
…The Manuelist commanders in Lagos, who were more attached to Gramaxo than to Manuel himself, arrested their own acclaimed king. The few who tried to resist were killed or convinced about how pointless their efforts were. Thus, when Ranuccio and Gramaxo arrived at the city’s harbour with the troops from Parma, Lagos was already a loyalist stronghold…
…In October 27, under the command of Alessandro Farnese, 25,000 Spanish soldiers crossed the border at Badajoz. They marched without resistance until Estremoz, where a Lancastrian army was waiting for them…
…Despite having a blind eye and a limp, the Duke of Parma proved he still had his military genius. With the destruction of the Lancastrian army, he headed to Setubal, where he would meet the forces commanded by his son, who was coming from the South, and then they would start to hunt Aveiro…
…While trying to find a ship to escape from Portugal, Dom Alvaro was recognized by Gramaxo’s supporters. He was then arrested, and sent to the loyalist army in Setubal…
…Ranuccio was gladly welcomed in Lisbon. After months of fighting, the city finally had peace, with the arrival of a new and legitimate king. Also, he was quickly well accepted by the population. After two decades under an ill and absentee king like Sebastian, the capital again became the home of a healthy and strong monarch…
…The Portuguese Courts were assembled in Lisbon in February 1587, but they just confirmed what was already certain. Gramaxo read the document approved by the Parliament, which affirmed that “according to the succession laws of this kingdom and the Portuguese traditions, we declare Ranuccio of Parma as the legitimate king of Portugal and the Algarves”. And, with applause, Gramaxo spoke the traditional acclamation “Real, real, real! Pelo alto e poderoso rei Dom Rainúncio, nosso senhor Rei de Portugal”... [6]
[1] Odoardo (1573 – 1626) was the youngest son of Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza.
[2] Ranuccio was the son of Maria of Portugal, who was the eldest daughter of Duarte, Duke of Guimarães and Manuel I’s son. In OTL, the other claimants in 1580 were Philip II (son of Isabel of Portugal); Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (Beatriz of Portugal’s son); the Duchess of Braganza, Catarina (Duarte’s youngest daughter) and Dom Antonio (illegitimate son of Luis, Duke of Beja). In OTL, both the Duke of Savoy, and Farnese didn’t present their claims to the Portuguese Courts, and they were not considered as candidates. It can be explained by the fact the Emmanuel Philibert knew his claim wasn’t very strong, and Ranuccio was only 11 years old, and his father was the governor of the Spanish Netherlands and a close ally of Philip II. Therefore, the choice was restricted to Philip II, Catarina and Antonio, and the Spanish king made good his claim.
[3] Philip II. After being expelled from the Spanish Netherlands Farnese refused to pronounce the name of the former Spanish king until his death.
[4] Piacenza was formally a Spanish fiefdom controlled by the Farnese.
[5] These cities would be later conceded to the Duke of Lerma, “valido” of the Spanish king and responsible for the negotiations.
[6] Royal, royal, royal! For the great and powerful king Dom Rainuncio, our lord king of Portugal!
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OK, 21 chapters so far. Any comments? Ideas?
The Dawn of a New Age
From “A Statesman of Portugal – The Life of Jorge Fernandes Gramaxo”, by Antonio Carlos Jobim
…Gramaxo lost any hope of reaching his aims in Rome. Despite the fact that Pope Clement VIII was trying to follow a foreign policy more independent of Spanish interests, legitimizing the bastard of a bastard as king of Portugal was too much to accept. Also, the Archbishop of Lisbon had already sent messages warning against such a proposal. And, to make his work even harder, Gramaxo himself didn’t have sympathies for Manuel, for his belief that he would be ruled out as soon as his services would no longer be needed…
…Although there are many versions of the description of their meeting, the only fact that all the sources agree with is that Gramaxo was introduced to the Cardinal Odoardo Farnese [1] in February, before the Lancastrian rebellion had even started…
…With the death of the Spanish king, his son Philip III inherited his rights to the throne of Portugal, being the great grandson of Manuel I. However, the king of Spain was a descendent of the Portuguese king through a female line. The only descendent of Manuel I through a male line was Ranuccio Farnese, son of the Duke of Parma, and therefore, according to tradition, he had legally a higher claim to the throne… [2]
…Gramaxo’s idea was simple: if Manuel was an improbable candidate for the throne, and Philip III would mean the end of Portuguese independence (and also the end of Marquis’s policies for the country), he would try to launch a third candidate, someone who would be willing to accept help for taking a crown. So, Jorge Fernandes went to Parma, where he discussed the matter with the Duke Alessandro Farnese…
…While being in Parma, Gramaxo received news from Portugal, where the Lancastrian rebellion became a real civil war. Although Lancaster had strong support from the nobility, the majority of the military commanders of garrisons, most of them chosen by Dom Antonio, were still allied to Manuel (but many were already shifting sides). Lisbon was turned into chaos, with the city’s government being taken alternately by Manuelists and Lancastrians …
…The war between two illegitimate heirs made Farnese finally decide in favor of Gramaxo’s plan. According to chronicles from that age, the Duke supposedly had said to his son Ranuccio that “the Ungrateful [3] didn’t give you Flanders, but I will make his son give you a kingdom”…
…The agreement would never be done without Papal approval. Therefore, the Cardinal Odoardo Farnese presented Ranuccio's claims for the throne of Portugal to Clement VIII, expecting the Pope to declare him as the legitimate successor of Sebastian I. Despite believing the Pope would do it anyway, because it would be a form to diminish the Spanish influence, the Duke of Parma also promised to renounce his rights to the Duchy of Castro, and give all his lands and properties in that territory back to the Papal States…
…With the Papal blessing, on August 26 1596 was signed with the Spanish ambassador the Treaty of Rome, in which Philip III recognized the higher claims of Ranuccio Farnese to the Portuguese throne. By the document, Farnese would be king of Portugal, but his marriage to Isabel of Savoy, Philip III’s niece (and a possible heir to the Portuguese crown) was arranged for when she would come of age. The Duke of Parma would renounce all his rights to the Duchy of Castro, which would be annexed to the Papal States, and the Duchy of Piacenza would be reincorporated into the Spanish territory of Milan. [4] Also, the cities of Ortona and Castellamare di Stabia, which were Farnese’s fiefdoms, would be given back to the Kingdom of Naples. [5] Finally, after having secured his throne, another treaty should be signed, which would revise the borders between the Portuguese and Spanish colonial claims. In exchange, Spain would give to Farnese all the military assistance needed to gain his throne…
…Despite Alessandro Farnese being constrained to given up so many territories, gaining the kingdom of Portugal for his son would make it worthwhile. After all, Italy was too unstable, his father had had to fight hard in order to secure his rights to Parma and Piacenza, and there were no warranties that in the future the Pope or the Emperor would choose another condottiero to take his lands. But there was just one point on which the Duke was unwilling to compromise: he must be the commander of the troops which would invade Portugal…
From “The War of Portuguese Succession”, by Graciliano Ramos
…The information that the Pope had declared Ranuccio of Parma as the legitimate king of Portugal caused diverse reactions throughout the country. Both Dom Alvaro and Dom Manuel refused to accept what they considered as “foreign interference in the liberties of the Portuguese Courts”. However, both sides lost supporters, some because they were afraid of being against a Papal declaration, and others who were not willing to fight the Spanish army that was already assembling on the border…
…Following papal orders, the Archbishop of Lisbon declared both “declared kings” as usurpers and not deserving the obedience of his subjects and vassals. It caused a revolt in Lisbon against Aveiro, headed by the remaining Manuelists in the city, who were considering it a revenge for his last defeat. The people joined the rebellion, and Dom Alvaro needed to flee to Almada, on the other side of the Tagus…
…In Porto, the troops that were besieging the city made a truce with the Manuelists. They made an agreement with Bento da Costa, and both armies decided to wait further developments of the situation…
…The Manuelist commanders in Lagos, who were more attached to Gramaxo than to Manuel himself, arrested their own acclaimed king. The few who tried to resist were killed or convinced about how pointless their efforts were. Thus, when Ranuccio and Gramaxo arrived at the city’s harbour with the troops from Parma, Lagos was already a loyalist stronghold…
…In October 27, under the command of Alessandro Farnese, 25,000 Spanish soldiers crossed the border at Badajoz. They marched without resistance until Estremoz, where a Lancastrian army was waiting for them…
…Despite having a blind eye and a limp, the Duke of Parma proved he still had his military genius. With the destruction of the Lancastrian army, he headed to Setubal, where he would meet the forces commanded by his son, who was coming from the South, and then they would start to hunt Aveiro…
…While trying to find a ship to escape from Portugal, Dom Alvaro was recognized by Gramaxo’s supporters. He was then arrested, and sent to the loyalist army in Setubal…
…Ranuccio was gladly welcomed in Lisbon. After months of fighting, the city finally had peace, with the arrival of a new and legitimate king. Also, he was quickly well accepted by the population. After two decades under an ill and absentee king like Sebastian, the capital again became the home of a healthy and strong monarch…
…The Portuguese Courts were assembled in Lisbon in February 1587, but they just confirmed what was already certain. Gramaxo read the document approved by the Parliament, which affirmed that “according to the succession laws of this kingdom and the Portuguese traditions, we declare Ranuccio of Parma as the legitimate king of Portugal and the Algarves”. And, with applause, Gramaxo spoke the traditional acclamation “Real, real, real! Pelo alto e poderoso rei Dom Rainúncio, nosso senhor Rei de Portugal”... [6]
[1] Odoardo (1573 – 1626) was the youngest son of Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza.
[2] Ranuccio was the son of Maria of Portugal, who was the eldest daughter of Duarte, Duke of Guimarães and Manuel I’s son. In OTL, the other claimants in 1580 were Philip II (son of Isabel of Portugal); Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (Beatriz of Portugal’s son); the Duchess of Braganza, Catarina (Duarte’s youngest daughter) and Dom Antonio (illegitimate son of Luis, Duke of Beja). In OTL, both the Duke of Savoy, and Farnese didn’t present their claims to the Portuguese Courts, and they were not considered as candidates. It can be explained by the fact the Emmanuel Philibert knew his claim wasn’t very strong, and Ranuccio was only 11 years old, and his father was the governor of the Spanish Netherlands and a close ally of Philip II. Therefore, the choice was restricted to Philip II, Catarina and Antonio, and the Spanish king made good his claim.
[3] Philip II. After being expelled from the Spanish Netherlands Farnese refused to pronounce the name of the former Spanish king until his death.
[4] Piacenza was formally a Spanish fiefdom controlled by the Farnese.
[5] These cities would be later conceded to the Duke of Lerma, “valido” of the Spanish king and responsible for the negotiations.
[6] Royal, royal, royal! For the great and powerful king Dom Rainuncio, our lord king of Portugal!
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OK, 21 chapters so far. Any comments? Ideas?
Thande
Donor
I like your ideas very much.
Where in OTL the early 17th century for Portugal was mostly (if not a decline) a series of missed opportunities thanks to the Spanish personal union, this new and vigorous ruler looks to be taking them in a more aggressive direction.
The downside for Portugal is that Brazil will probably be smaller, as Philip III's boot will be on the neck of whoever draws up the revised Torsedillas.
Where in OTL the early 17th century for Portugal was mostly (if not a decline) a series of missed opportunities thanks to the Spanish personal union, this new and vigorous ruler looks to be taking them in a more aggressive direction.
The downside for Portugal is that Brazil will probably be smaller, as Philip III's boot will be on the neck of whoever draws up the revised Torsedillas.