The 1383–1385 Crisis: Portugal’s Fight for Independence…

The 1383–1385 Crisis: Portugal’s Fight for Independence

The Third Fernandine War (1381–1382) marked Ferdinand I of Portugal’s last attempt—again with John of Gaunt’s support—to challenge Castilian authority. However, his campaign against King John I of Castile ended in another failure, and his dynastic strategy created deep divisions within Portugal.

The Marriage of Beatrice and the Threat to Portuguese Independence (1383)

• In May 1383, Beatrice of Portugal, Ferdinand’s only daughter and heir, was married to John I of Castile.
• This marriage effectively united Portugal and Castile under the Trastámara dynasty, leading to fears that Portugal would lose its independence.
• Many Portuguese nobles opposed this union, but they were divided between two rival pretenders:
  1. John of Portugal, son of Peter I and Inês de Castro, who lived in Castile.
  2. João, Grand Master of the Order of Aviz, an illegitimate son of Peter I by Teresa Lourenço, who was popular among the Portuguese nobility and middle class.

The Death of Ferdinand and the Regency of Leonor Teles (October 22, 1383)

• Ferdinand I died at the age of 38 on October 22, 1383, leaving no male heir.
• As per the marriage treaty, his widow, Leonor Teles de Meneses, assumed regency for Beatrice, ruling alongside her lover, João Fernandes de Andeiro, a Castilian count.
• This arrangement angered both the nobility and the lower classes, who saw it as a betrayal of Portugal’s sovereignty.

The 1383–1385 Crisis Begins: João of Aviz Takes Action

• In December 1383, João of Aviz led a group of conspirators and assassinated João Fernandes de Andeiro, marking the first act of open rebellion.
• With Nuno Álvares Pereira, a brilliant general, as his military commander, João took control of Lisbon, ...