Exploring the rich history of the 5th to 15th century!
Portugal
Portuguese people and events during the European Middle Ages.
Edward of Portugal was born on October 30, 1391, to King John I and Queen Philippa of Lancaster. The couple’s second son, Prince Edward, became heir after the death of his elder brother, Afonso, in 1400. As a second-generation member of the fledgling Aviz dynasty, an emphasis was placed on educating Edward and preparing him to become king. To this […]
Denis of Portugal was born on October 9, 1261, to King Afonso III and Queen Beatrice of Castile. Before the prince’s birth, Afonso seized the throne from his elder brother, Sancho II, in 1248. An unpopular ruler, Sancho’s throne was declared forfeit by Pope Innocent IV, allowing Afonso to take control. The birth of Denis secured the usurper king’s throne […]
Ferdinand I of Portugal was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on October 31, 1345. Born during the reign of his grandfather, Afonso IV, Ferdinand was the son of Prince Peter and Princess Costanza Manuel of Castile. In 1349, Costanza died, beginning a period of instability in Ferdinand’s life. Although his mother had given his father four children, Peter did not love […]
The Portuguese Interregnum originated during the reign of King Ferdinand I. In 1383, Ferdinand was slowly dying. Since the king’s only son, Prince Afonso, had pre-deceased him, Ferdinand had one living child left, Princess Beatrice. As a succession crisis began to stir, the king married his daughter to King John I of neighboring Castile in May. Although they were former […]
Sancho I of Portugal was born on November 11, 1154, in Coimbra, Portugal. The first legitimate surviving son of King Afonso I, the prince became his father’s heir. Fifteen years before his birth, Afonso established Portugal as an independent kingdom. However, Portugal’s independence remained at risk. To secure his kingdom against neighboring Leon and Castile, Afonso allied himself with the […]