Otl, western Iberia is simply, well, Spain. There's some tension with the Galicians, but nothing too major. However, in the early 1100s, under Count Afonso, the county of Portucale attempted to rebel and become "king of Portugal." Now, this failed of course, as the people Henry appealed to (the crusaders and burgundy), failed to materialized aid. But, lets say that Henry forms a successful independent state in Iberia. what happens?
DBWI: Independent "Portucale"
- Thread starter AltoRegnant
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- dbwi portugal portugal screw spain
A successful independent state? As usual, its fate depends on a lot of factors, but I can imagine an independent Portucale reaching as far south as Silves (thus undermining Galicia). There's no way that this state could remain independent, but I can imagine it taking part in the greater Atlantic Expansion of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, considering how important Lisbon was to Spain in OTL.
If Portucale serves as an ally of Spain's enemies, and provides them a safe landing point on the Iberian Peninsula, then Spain will be more dedicated to the continental front and less able to grow its colonial empire abroad and enforce order within it. On the other hand, this would mean that the Anglo-Moroccan alliance never launches the Eight Year's War with their joint invasion Spanish America since the Commonwealth would have no need of the Moroccans with a better placed ally.