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188 - How Queen Catalina advised the king her husband to keep peace with Portugal
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 January 2024
Summary
The war having ceased in the manner that we have described, the matter of peace was yet to be discussed after the handing back of the [captured] towns and the return of the hostages once the stipulated six months elapsed, in accordance with the provisions of the truce. Should the two kings be content, the talks would take place between Elvas and Badajoz. With the consent of both, owing to certain matters that arose, the start of the talks had to be delayed for four years till Easter 1407, taking place between San Felices [de los Gallegos] and Castelo Rodrigo, already in the reign of King Juan [II], the son of the King Enrique [III] who agreed to the truce we have described in the preceding chapter.
Since we will be speaking about how the issue of the ensuing peace proceeded, and for you to have full knowledge of the matter, it is important for you to remember that, when we related the settlements made between the Duke of Lancaster and the King of Castile, the one who lost the battle, the betrothal was made between Prince Enrique, his first-born son, at the age of nine years, and Catalina, the daughter of the same Duke of Lancaster, and [half-]sister of Philippa, who was already Queen of Portugal. On the death of that King Juan in a riding accident, he was succeeded by this son, Enrique; but he was too young in years to be given his wife. After he had reached his majority, at the age of sixteen, it was then arranged that they be joined in matrimony. She was twenty-seven years old and, with his being so young, their ages seemed to go very much against the common good and public order. [However,] by the grace that God Almighty was pleased to bestow upon him, the king was endowed with such good habits and virtues, above all with that purest among virtues which is known as justice, that his prudent and well-ordered conduct was outstanding and uniquely memorable, for he reigned over his country with much greater competence than any other king had done before him.
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- The Chronicles of Fernão LopesVolume 4. The Chronicle of King João i of Portugal, Part II, pp. 402 - 404Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2023