War of the Portuguese Succession

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=War of the Portuguese Succession
date=1580- 1583
place=Portugal
result=The Iberian Union
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1=António, Prior of Crato and the 3rd Count of Vimioso
commander2=Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alva

The War of the Portuguese Succession was fought from 1580 to 1583 between the two more important claimants to succeed Henry I of Portugal on the Portuguese throne: Anthony I of Portugal, proclaimed as 18th King of Portugal, and Phillip II of Spain, that became the 19th King of Portugal.Fact|date=July 2008

Background

The Cardinal-King death (Janury 31st, 1580) originated the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis, with several candidates setting up their claims. Due to the Braganza’s couple (the Infanta Catherine of Guimarães and her husband John I, 6th Duke of Braganza) indiference, only one national candidate, "Dom" António, Prior of Crato, was the only one to fight back Phillip II of Spain claims.

Both "Dom" António and Phillip were King Manuel I of Portugal grand children:
* "Dom" António was an illegitimate grand child (through his father Infante Louis, 5th Duke of Beja), but he had the advantages of nation wide (Portugal and throug out the Empire) popular support and of their Portuguese nationality;
* Phillip was the eldest grand child, but he descended through female line (through his mother, Infanta Isabella of Portugal) and he was a foreigner. In spite of that, he had bought the Portuguese high-nobility and high-clergy support and he was a prestigious monarch among Christendom.

War

In July 24 1580, "Dom" António proclaimed himself as António I, King of Portugal and of the Algarves, in Santarém, which was followed by popular acclamation in several locations of the country. However, he governed in Continental Portugal for only 33 days, culminating in his defeat in the Battle of Alcântara by the Spanish Habsburg armies led by Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba on August 25.Fact|date=July 2008

In early 1581, he fled to France and, as the Phillip’s armies had not yet occupied the Azores, he sailed there with a number of French adventurers under Philip Strozzi, a Florentine exile in the service of France, but was utterly defeated at sea by the Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz at the Battle of Ponta Delgada off Terceira Island on July 26, and off São Miguel Island on July 27, 1582.Fact|date=July 2008

Anthony still accompanied an English expedition, under the command of Francis Drake and Norris, to the coasts of Spain and Portugal but the expedition failed and Anthony’s attempt to rule Portugal from Terceira Island, in the Azores (where he even minted coin) came to an end in 1583.Fact|date=July 2008

Meanwhile, King Philip II of Spain was recognize as Phillip I, King of Portugal and of the Algarves by the Portuguese Cortes of Tomar (1581).Fact|date=July 2008