No Portugese Expedition to Ceuta

Nikephoros

Banned
What affects? Does Castile decide to take it and blockade Portugal from its sources of grain, i.e Sicily and Egypt?
 
What affects? Does Castile decide to take it and blockade Portugal from its sources of grain, i.e Sicily and Egypt?

Well, Castile conquering it's possible, by the same reasons the Portuguese had: it was a rich city, a final point in the trade web across the Sahara, had a huge production of wheat in the lands around and it was a pirate base from where were sent attacks against the Iberian coast.

The conquest of Ceuta had a huge impact on Portuguese politics, definitely changing the country's interests to naval affairs. When the Portuguese realized that Ceutans (is it the right word?) made huge profits with gold, ivory and (most importantly) slaves that came from across the desert, they decided to find the places from where those resources came. Without the example of Ceuta, the Portuguese would probably delay the explorations. I wonder what would happen to the Western slave trade in a TL where the Moroccan ports aren't conquered by Portugal and Castile.

Also, I'm not sure if the Castilians would be as interested in explorations as the Portuguese were. Portugal had already completed its "Reconquista" by then, and was blocked on land by a powerful enemy, and therefore their easier way to expand was through the sea. Castile, in the other had, still could advance against a weak Granada.
 

Lusitania

Donor
The Castilians were at that time quite busy with their own re-conquist. They were still battling the Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula (Granada) I do not believe they were in any shape to dictate to the Portuguese what they could and could not do.

The Portuguese had just recently defeated the Castillians (1385) so they felt very confident in themselves.
 

Nikephoros

Banned
I read an interesting analysis over at the Paradox Forums. I'll try to find it, but the author's view is that Ceuta was taken to keep it out of the hands of Castile. Apparently, Castile had Gibralter for a few years before this expedition, and that Portugal took it because they were afraid that Castile would eventually take Ceuta and Gibraltar and cut Portugal off from its grain imports.

EDIT: Here it is: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9806934&postcount=1
 
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The Castilians were at that time quite busy with their own re-conquist. They were still battling the Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula (Granada) I do not believe they were in any shape to dictate to the Portuguese what they could and could not do.

The Portuguese had just recently defeated the Castillians (1385) so they felt very confident in themselves.


Granada was not taken before because it was more profitable as it was. By not taking it the Castillians had not to deal with a hostile islamic population but received money as if they held the territory.
 
I read an interesting analysis over at the Paradox Forums. I'll try to find it, but the author's view is that Ceuta was taken to keep it out of the hands of Castile. Apparently, Castile had Gibralter for a few years before this expedition, and that Portugal took it because they were afraid that Castile would eventually take Ceuta and Gibraltar and cut Portugal off from its grain imports.

EDIT: Here it is: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9806934&postcount=1
I think the author of that analysis may have misinterpreted nr 5, the new nobility owed their titles to João I.
 

Lusitania

Donor
What we were always taught in portuguese history was that Portugal wanted the gold and riches that poured into Ceuta never that it was as part of some strategy to stop Castille.
 
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