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90 - How the King of Portugal learned of the duke's arrival and made his way to Oporto
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 January 2024
Summary
While the King of Portugal was in Lamego, where we left him after he had departed from Coria, João Gil do Porto and Gomes Eanes, his groom, brought him news of how the duke had arrived in Galicia in the way we have described. According to what is claimed by some writers, the duke at once sent letters to the king, informing him of how he had come to Galicia and landed at La Coruña, bringing with him his wife and children, in order to gain the kingdom of Castile, which rightfully belonged to him, and adding that he would be very pleased if the two of them could meet.
The king was delighted at this news and set off at once for Oporto. There he decided to dispatch envoys to the duke, to send for the constable and others from his kingdom and to make arrangements for when they were to meet.
At this time, it so happened that Martín Rodríguez de Sevilla was sailing towards the city of Oporto. He had gone with other galleys to make marauding raids along the coast of England, and they had been the first to bring news to the King of Castile of the fleet that was being assembled to sail against him. Off Oporto he came across a number of Portuguese and English ships and felt his galleys to be superior to them. One misty morning his galley was in pursuit of a Portuguese vessel in order to harry it, and, when he had already virtually captured it, there appeared a nao full of Portuguese, borne by a following wind, which engaged with him, killed many of his men and forcibly seized his galley. The Portuguese nao set free the vessel he had taken and brought it into Oporto with all the wealth that was aboard. Martín Rodríguez was a prisoner in his galley but he later ransomed himself for 10,000 doblas. Once released, he immediately headed for Castile. There he acquired a horse and some troops and made his way to Olivença, which was held for Castile by Pero Rodrigues da Fonseca. He made a marauding incursion into Portugal, but people from the town of Redondo came out against him, gave chase and captured him. He was then killed by Estacinho de Évora.
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- The Chronicles of Fernão LopesVolume 4. The Chronicle of King João i of Portugal, Part II, pp. 218 - 220Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2023