Pretty much this. Galician kingship wasn't overall that differant from other kingships in Northern Spain. Different cultures would make it interesting regarding the possibility of an identirary cristallisation, but no more than Navarre or Aragon after their unification.Though I don't know if it would be necessary given the relative similarity and presumably better relations shared between the two kingdoms but I defer to your better knowledge of the Iberian peninsula.
It would be far less an incorporation of Galicia as such, than Galicia as part of the whole Castillan ensemble, whom regions as Castilla and Andalusia would have a far more important weight.So Alfonso's position isn't quite hopeless but it's extremely difficult. Though it would probably buy Portugal time enough to incorporate the Galicians.
Well, it'd depend a lot from how Portugal act. The elites probably felt being Castillans of the Kingdom of Galicia, rather than plain Galicians or Castillans.What would the Galicians think of this situation? Before and after the union with Portugal?
As for populations, their opinion would have been close to irrelevant.
It would all go down to how Galician nobility would place itself during the war. It seems that some leaned toward Juanista side, as other nobles bordering Portugal. So in the immediate aftermath, it shouldn't be an issue.
Eventually...Hard to say. I don't think that Alfonso would have tried to fully integrated Castille (or what he would have taken of, it's not improbable to think Ferdinand would have salvaged part of the kingdom) to Portugal, so the maintain of a distinct identity within Castille, itself distinct from Portugal.
The region may suffer from Portugal rivality when it came to trade, fishing and exploration; but I'm not sure it would have been enough to provoke a staunch reject itself that wouldn't have been backed by a more general Castillan one.
To win the war, Portugal would have to really boost his diplomacy to begin with.How interested would France be later on after he's had time to stabilize? And for that matter how would Portuguese foreign relations be like with other kingdoms?
As for France ; its main opponent in the region would be still Aragon, but it's going to be hard to have Portugal choosing over its alliance with England and its one with France. All depends of the threat represented by Ferdinand. More important it is, more likely the continuation of French-Castillan alliance.
If Portugal-Galicia remains definitely in English alliance, France is going to be more wary. Maybe not up to ally with Aragon (except if it's weakened enough in Mediterranean sea), but going back to the old "Satellize Navarre and support pro-France nobles in Castille" tactics.
Portugal is going to be a bit on the edge there, and would have to decide eventually.
On the war, this article is probably the most concise while complete.I wouldn't mind some of those French and Spanish titles?
- Histoire du Portugal, by Albert Bourdon, that ends by talking as much about Castille.
- This article, actually a summary of a book, is concise as well on early Isabel's reign
- Histoire médiévale de la péninsule ibérique, by Adeline Rucqoi.
Well, I tried to tell then that I wasn't really enthusiast going trough a wall of text to understand the points. Sorry.What did you think of the True Eurasian's idea?