The installation of the Spanish and Portuguese monarchies is usually understood from the wars that tried to expel Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula. Since the eighth century, the Arabs had dominated much of the Iberian territory due to the Muslim expansion that took place at the end of the High Middle Ages. From the 11th century, in the context of the Crusades, the Christian kingdoms that dominated the northern region formed armies with the objective of reconquering the lands of the so-called “infidels”.
The kingdoms of Leon, Castile, Navarre and Aragon joined forces for a long war that only came to an end in the 15th century. In this process, the participating kingdoms of this war sought the assistance of the French nobleman Henry of Burgundy who, in exchange, he received lands from the so-called Portucalense county and married Dona Teresa, illegitimate daughter of the king of Lion. After the death of Henrique de Burgundy, his son Afonso Henriques fought for the political autonomy of the county.
From that moment on, the first monarchic dynasty was consolidated in the Portucalense County, continuing the process of expelling Muslims. The conquered lands were directly controlled by the authority of the king, who did not grant hereditary possession of the fiefs given to members of the nobility. At the same time, the bourgeois class was consolidated by its important geographical position in the circulation of goods between the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea.
In 1383, the Portuguese throne was left without heirs with the death of King Henry I. At that time, the kingdom of Castile tried to claim control of the Portuguese lands, supporting the son-in-law of Dom Fernando. Feeling threatened, the Portuguese bourgeoisie resisted the process of annexing Portugal by forming its own army. In the battle of Aljubarrota, the bourgeois defeated the Castilians and thus led Dom João, master of Avis, to the Portuguese throne.
This struggle – known as the Avis Revolution – marked the rise of a new dynasty committed to the interests of the Portuguese bourgeoisie. With this, the Portuguese national state was strengthened with the frank development of commercial activities and the systematic collection of taxes. This association promoted Portuguese pioneering in the maritime expansion that took place throughout the 15th century.
By Rainer Sousa
Graduated in History
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Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUSA, Rainer Gonçalves. "Formation of the Portuguese National Monarchy"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/formacao-monarquia-nacional-portuguesa.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
