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The vast history of the territory of the Euro-Region Galicia and the North of Portugal has enabled the footprints of the different settlers to be still perceptible these days. It is enriching to be able to visit the prehistoric monuments of these regions, for a better understanding of how life centuries ago was.
The vast history of the territory of the Euro-Region Galicia and the North of Portugal has enabled the footprints of the different settlers to be still perceptible these days. It is enriching to be able to visit the prehistoric monuments of these regions, for a better understanding of how life centuries ago was.
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From Gallaecia to the Euro-Region<br />
Bridge over the Tua (Mirandela)<br />
Politics at the end of the Middle<br />
Ages: game of thrones<br />
Nobility was becoming increasingly relevant over the years. In the 14th century<br />
and especially in the 15th, the different Castilian kings ended up giving great<br />
privileges to these aristocrats, who supported a great part of their power.<br />
Opposite to the weakness of the Castilian kings, the House of Avís was especially<br />
strong in Portugal. Wars, alliances and new dynasties were the main characters<br />
in a power game where even Galicia came to be, for two years, under the<br />
Portuguese king’s control.<br />
In 1351 Pedro I ascended the throne<br />
of Castile. His half-brother Enrique also<br />
proclaimed himself king, after being<br />
recognized by part of the Castilian<br />
nobility and even had the support<br />
of France. Oppositely, the Galician<br />
aristocracy –with the exception of the<br />
archbishop of Compostela, who would<br />
be murdered- were favourable to king<br />
Pedro, who sought for international<br />
support in Portugal and England.<br />
Despite some battles that favoured<br />
Pedro, the Castilian cities refuse to<br />
recognize him as their king and, on<br />
the way to Toledo, his stepbrother<br />
Enrique confronted and killed him. We<br />
are in 1369: Enrique II of Trastámara<br />
would be, from this moment on, the<br />
new monarch, although not the whole<br />
kingdom would accept his authority.<br />
This stayed until 1371, when an<br />
offensive by Enrique in Portuguese<br />
territory obliged Fernando to step back<br />
and abandon Galicia, which was<br />
again and definitely under the Castilian<br />
king’s command.<br />
“The most interesting<br />
part of the peace treaty<br />
that was signed was the<br />
union of the heirs of both<br />
kingdoms, Castile and<br />
Portugal”<br />
A decade later, a new alliance between<br />
<strong>English</strong> and Portuguese was carried out,<br />
but frustrated by a military campaign<br />
of Juan I, the new king of Castile. The<br />
most interesting part of the peace treaty<br />
that was signed was the union of the<br />
heirs of both kingdoms, Castile and<br />
Portugal. The succession war came<br />
up soon: after the death of Fernando<br />
I, the widowed queen stood up for her<br />
daughter Beatriz, who, according to<br />
the agreement, would have to marry<br />
king Juan I of Castile, an option that<br />
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