What if Portugal fought Castille-Spain for (almost) all the marbles in period between 1410 and 1575?

If they fought at this time (1410-1575) which would be more likely to win?

  • Portugal

    Votes: 11 29.7%
  • Castille

    Votes: 26 70.3%

  • Total voters
    37
Am I missing something or did nobody mention the war of 1475?

The castillans forced a stalemate after initial defeats while the Portuguese won on the naval side.

The Portuguese state was quite advanced and very stable compared to the Spanish kingdoms
 
Like Karolus said, earlier on, i.e. in the 15th century, Portugal didn`t have such bad chances.
In the OP, you also asked about consequences elsewhere, e.g. for the colonised peoples.
I think a devastating and exhausting war during the right time frame (1430s-1450s) could indeed abort the whole Portuguese discovery boom.
Imagine Henry the Navigator having to dedicate all his resources to inner-Iberian warfare, and likely being killed. Imagine no caravels developed.
OK, so peeks into Africa may not be able to be butterflied, but I think if you`re placing a big war right in that time frame, you`ll likely kill any Iberian discovery of North or South America in the late 15th and maybe even early 16th century.

The question is why would the two kingdoms go to such an irrational war against each other.
 
That is the point, never in the history of both countries the will to fight each other has been very strong, because what's the point? Why the waste of men, blood ans treasury with a neighbour you can understand and relate to?

Earlier succession crises?
 
Top