1383-85: a time of revolution — History, 11–13
How the death of a king without a direct heir led to a deep crisis — and to a new dynasty.
A crown without a clear heir
In 1383, King Ferdinand dies without leaving a son to succeed him. His only heir is his daughter, married to the King of Castile — which threatens Portugal's independence, since it could unite the two crowns under a Castilian king. This succession crisis begins two years of major political instability.
Why this crisis was decisive
This wasn't just a dispute between nobles over the throne: it was a moment that decided whether Portugal would remain independent or be absorbed by Castile. How this crisis was resolved — and by whom — profoundly changed who governed the country and how.
A case: the road to Aljubarrota
Step 1: part of the nobility supports the Queen of Castile; another part, together with the towns and the common people, opposes union with Castile. Step 2: John, Master of Avis, emerges as leader of this second group, backed by figures such as Nuno Álvares Pereira. Step 3: the Cortes of Coimbra, meeting in 1385, recognise John as king, starting a new dynasty. Step 4: that same year, the Portuguese army defeats Castile at the Battle of Aljubarrota, confirming by force of arms the Cortes' political decision.
The trap: thinking it was just one battle
It's easy to remember only Aljubarrota as "the battle that saved Portugal", but the battle was one moment in a political crisis that began in 1383 and in which, months earlier, the Cortes of Coimbra had chosen John. Without the legitimacy the Cortes gave John as king, the military victory alone would not have been enough to found a new dynasty.
Where you can still see this today
The Batalha Monastery was built to give thanks for the victory at Aljubarrota, and can still be visited today. The idea that a people and its towns can play a decisive role — not only the nobility — is still remembered whenever this crisis is told as a moment when "the people" helped decide the country's fate.
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