Welcome back to another history lesson! After telling you about the Establishment of the Republic, today we’re going 377 years back in time to explain what the Restoration of Independence was and its implications for Portugal. Let’s dive in!

1 – The Reason Behind the Coup

To understand what led to the coup on December 1, 1640, and the Restoration of Independence, we need to go back to the death of D. Sebastião in 1580. With no heirs, the Portuguese throne ended up in the hands of the Spanish kings, but with a guarantee of a dual monarchy, meaning two kingdoms would exist under one king. Sixty years after the Spanish took power in Portugal, D. Filipe III of Portugal and IV of Spain sought to abolish Portugal’s independence, ensuring only one kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. Led by a group called Os Conjurados, the Portuguese revolted and freed Portugal from Spanish rule.

2 – The Conspirators

Os Conjurados was a nationalist group that formed secretly during the Spanish rule in Portugal. Comprising about 50 men, 40 of whom were nobles and the rest clergy or military, this group aimed to overthrow the Spanish Dynasty and proclaim a Portuguese king, leading to the Restoration of Independence. This goal was achieved on December 1, when Os Conjurados invaded the Paço da Ribeira, where only the Vice-Queen of Portugal, Margarida de Saboia, and her Secretary-General, Miguel de Vasconcelos, were present. With Margarida de Saboia hiding in a closet and Miguel de Vasconcelos thrown out a window, the invaders proclaimed D. João IV as the king of Portugal amidst shouts of “Liberty”. D. Filipe III of Portugal and IV of Spain, who was facing a revolution in Catalonia, couldn’t return to Portugal to secure his power.

3 – The End of the Iberian Union

The Iberian Union was a political entity that ruled the Iberian Peninsula from 1580 to 1640. As we mentioned earlier, this union was based on a dual monarchy, ensuring the existence of two distinct kingdoms under one king. This Iberian Union was something the Iberian crowns had always desired, and if Miguel da Paz, the first son of D. Manuel I and Isabel of Aragon, had become king, it might have happened. Why? Because he was the Prince of Portugal and the Asturias, with the courts of Castile and Aragon swearing to make him their heir. Miguel da Paz would have been the heir to the crowns of Portugal, Aragon, and Castile, sealing peace between the three kingdoms and creating a single country. Raised by his maternal grandparents in Granada, the young prince died before turning two, destroying all hopes of this union. The crowns of Castile and Aragon were then promised to Isabel of Aragon’s sister, who was married to D. Filipe I of Portugal and II of Spain, leading to an unwanted merger of the different kingdoms. The Iberian Union eventually fell with the 1640 coup, leading to the Restoration of Portugal’s Independence.

4 – The Choice of D. João IV

You’re probably wondering what led Os Conjurados to choose D. João IV, the Duke of Bragança, as the King of Portugal, right? It’s not because he was a member of the group! The reason is simpler: D. João IV was a descendant of D. João I. In reality, Os Conjurados only moved forward with their plans for independence after speaking with the Duke of Bragança and getting his approval. To simplify the ancestry of the first king of the fourth dynasty of the Portuguese crown, he was the son of Teodósio II, who was the son of Infanta Catarina de Guimarães, who was the daughter of Duarte of Portugal, who was the son of D. Manuel I, the king of Portugal. Got it?

5 – The King’s Brother

What’s the significance of the king’s brother in this story? D. João IV had a younger brother, Duarte of Bragança, who was a brave military man and had left for Austria in 1636 to participate in the Thirty Years’ War. In 1638, Duarte visited Portugal, and when his brother was reluctant to accept Os Conjurados’ proposal, the conspirators considered electing Duarte to take the throne. Although it never went further, it was also uncertain whether he would accept the role without his brother’s prior approval. The truth is that in 1641, Duarte was imprisoned in Germany by order of Emperor Ferdinand III, responding to a request from his ally and cousin D. Filipe III of Portugal and IV of Spain. Despite D. João IV’s efforts, Duarte was never freed.

6 – The War of Restoration

As you’d expect, the story didn’t end with the coup, since in Madrid, D. João IV was considered a traitor when they learned about his rebellion. Besides Madrid, the Spanish crown spread this version throughout European capitals. There was also a military problem in Portugal, which led to the formation of a War Council with 10 experienced members on December 11, 1640. Several nobles saw D. João IV’s rise to power as a betrayal, with attempts on his life. A war with Spain ensued, not only in the Iberian Peninsula but also in the colonies, with Portugal receiving support from England, France, and Sweden. Despite the nobility’s revolt against D. João IV, he had the support of most Portuguese society, allowing him to recruit volunteers to face the human needs for the war with Spain. At the same time, the king sent diplomats to European courts to secure recognition of Portugal’s independence, as well as financial and military support, arguing he was the legitimate heir to the throne stolen by D. Filipe I of Portugal and II of Spain. Twenty-eight years of resistance to Spanish invasion attempts and Portuguese victories in key battlefronts passed until the Treaty of Lisbon was signed in 1668, ending the War of Restoration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was the main reason for the Restoration of Portugal’s Independence?

A: The main reason was the desire to end Spanish rule and establish a Portuguese monarchy.

Q: Who was the leader of the group that led the coup?

A: The leader was D. João IV, who was chosen by Os Conjurados due to his ancestry and approval.

Q: What was the outcome of the War of Restoration?

A: The outcome was the recognition of Portugal’s independence, secured through the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668.