From the Iberian Union to the Restoration — History, 11–13
Sixty years in which Portugal and Spain shared the same king — and how Portugal recovered its independence.
One king, two kingdoms
In 1578, the young king Sebastian dies in a battle in Morocco, leaving no direct heir. Two years later, in 1580, Philip II of Spain claims the Portuguese crown and in 1581 is recognised as king of Portugal by the Cortes of Tomar, beginning what became known as the Iberian Union: the two kingdoms now share the same king, though they officially continued to be governed as separate countries.
Why this union bred discontent
Although Portugal kept, on paper, its own laws and institutions, being governed from a distance, from Madrid, was increasingly felt as unfavourable to Portuguese interests — especially in matters of trade and taxes. This discontent grew over decades, until it erupted into revolt.
A case: 1 December 1640
Step 1: throughout the 1630s, discontent with Habsburg rule grows, with higher taxes to fund Spanish wars. Step 2: a group of Portuguese nobles organises a conspiracy to end the Iberian Union. Step 3: on 1 December 1640, the conspirators seize the Royal Palace in Lisbon and proclaim the Duke of Braganza as the new king, John IV. Step 4: a long war between Portugal and Spain follows, ending only in 1668, with the formal recognition of Portuguese independence.
The trap: thinking independence was immediate
It's easy to assume that, from 1 December 1640 onward, Portugal was fully independent again. In reality, 28 years of war followed — the Restoration War — before Spain formally recognised, in 1668, that Portugal was once again an independent kingdom. Like the formation of the kingdom in the 12th century, the Restoration too was a long process, not a single day.
Where you can still see this today
1 December is still marked in Portugal today, associated with the recovery of independence. And the word "Restoration" is still used for this period, whenever the story is told of how Portugal stopped sharing a king with Spain.
Keep exploring
Other languages
Loading MyLeoNes™…