Latest / The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History / The Portuguese Restoration War: How a Coup Restored a Kingdom
Transcript
- Lucas: So by 1640, Portugal had been living under Spanish Habsburg rule for sixty years. Ever since the disastrous Battle of Alcácer Quibir in 1578 and the subsequent succession crisis, the crowns of Portugal and Spain had been united under Filipe I — Philip II of Spain, really. And at first, the union wasn't all bad. But by the 1630s, the cracks were showing. Luna: What changed? I mean, why did the Portuguese finally decide to push back after six decades? Lucas: A few things. First, Spain was bleeding men and money into the Thirty Years' War. They kept demanding more troops and taxes from Portugal. Portuguese nobles were losing influence at court, and Spanish officials were taking over key positions. Then there was the revolt in Catalonia in 1640 — that distracted Madrid. The Portuguese saw their moment. A group of nobles, the '40 Conjurados', planned a coup. Lucas: On December 1, 1640, they stormed the royal palace in Lisbon. They killed the Spanish secretary of state, Miguel de Vasconcelos, and forced the Spanish vicereine, Margaret of Savoy, to flee. Then they proclaimed the Duke of Braganza as King João IV. It was swift, almost bloodless, apart from that one assassination. Luna: The Duke of Braganza — he was the most powerful noble in Portugal, right? A natural choice. Lucas: Exactly. He was the grandson of the last legitimate Portuguese king, Henrique, so he had a solid claim. But he was also reluctant at first. He knew this would mean war with Spain. And indeed, Spain didn't recognize João IV, so the conflict dragged on for 28 years. That's the Restoration War. Lucas: Portugal had to build an army from scratch. They got some help — France and England, both enemies of Spain, sent aid. But Portugal was small and poor. The war was fought mostly along the border with Spain, with raids and sieges rather than big pitched battles. Luna: Were there any major battles I should know about? Lucas: The biggest was the Battle of Montes Claros in 1665. That was near the town of Estremoz, in the Alentejo region. The Portuguese army, under the command of the Marquess of Marialva, won a decisive victory against a Spanish force led by John of Austria the Younger. It was the turning point. After that, Spain finally recognized Portugal's independence in the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668. Lucas: But the war wasn't just military. It was also a diplomatic struggle. João IV worked hard to secure alliances — he married his daughter Catherine to Charles II of England, which brought the English as allies. And he sent envoys to France, the Dutch Republic, even the Pope. Luna: And how did all this affect ordinary Portuguese people? Lucas: The war was brutal. Taxes went up, there were shortages, and the border regions saw constant raiding. But there was also a real sense of national pride. The restoration of independence was celebrated in songs and poetry. It's still a national holiday in Portugal — the 1st of December is Restoration of Independence Day. Luna: So the Braganza dynasty that started with João IV — how long did they last? Lucas: The Braganza dynasty ruled Portugal from 1640 all the way until the republic was proclaimed in 1910. That's almost 270 years. They also ruled Brazil after its independence, with Emperor Pedro I and Pedro II. So this coup in 1640 really set the course for the rest of Portuguese history. Luna: Fascinating. A palace coup that changed everything. Lucas: Absolutely. And it's a story that's often overshadowed by the Age of Discoveries or the earthquake of 1755, but the Restoration War was just as crucial in defining modern Portugal. Luna: I imagine there's a lot more to dig into there. Lucas: There is — the role of the Portuguese nobility, the economic impact, the cultural renaissance that followed. Maybe we'll come back to it in a future episode.