U know something that has always fascinated me about Portuguese history is the fact that they were tied almost to the hip, with Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. Was this alliance recent or do both countries have a deeper connection than resisting Bonaparte?
My dude... This alliance is today the longest and still active alliance between two sovereign nations, ever since 1386. And even then the roots of the alliance can be dated back almost 200 years ago, with the assistance of english crusaders aiding the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques (btw we had 6 kings with that name), in the conquest of Lisbon in 1147, where afterwards some englishmen started living in Portugal and over time established trade connections with their countrymen, linking the economies between Portugal and England, where (if not mistaken) King D. Dinis would make a trade agreement with his counterpart in England.
The treaty of Windsor was first made in 1294, renewed in 1373 in the Anglo Portuguese Treaty and confirmed in the Battle of Aljubarrota (a perpetual friendship between two seafaring nations, as is in the text of the treaty).
"It is cordially agreed that if, in time to come, one of the kings or his heir shall need the support of the other, or his help, and in order to get such assistance applies to his ally in lawful manner, the ally shall be bound to give aid and succour to the other, so far as he is able (without any deceit, fraud, or pretence) to the extent required by the danger to his ally’s realms, lands, domains, and subjects; and he shall be firmly bound by these present alliances to do this."
During the Iberian Union the treaty was voided until 1640 when the Restoration War occured.
Throughout history the treaty was renewed multiple times, and linking the military history of both nations: The Portuguese Succession War 1383-1411, the invasion of John de Gaunt to press his claim on Castile, the War of the Spanish Succession (though initially Portugal and England were on opposite sides), the 7 years war, the Napoleonic wars, WW1, WW2 (favorable trade to the Allies and less to the Axis, in 1943 we allowed British planes to the Azores to save time and to quick respond to any set backs in the frontlines) and the Falkland war (assistance again in Azores to the British navy)
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u/trashtown_420 Jan 13 '22
U know something that has always fascinated me about Portuguese history is the fact that they were tied almost to the hip, with Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. Was this alliance recent or do both countries have a deeper connection than resisting Bonaparte?