Duarte of Portugal

Duarte was born on 31 October 1391, in Viseu, Portugal. He was son of King João I of Portugal and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster. Duarte was the oldest member of the so-called Illustrious Generation of accomplished royal children who contributed immensely to the development of Portuguese civilisation during the 15th century.

In 1428, Duarte married Eleanor of Aragon, daughter of King Ferdinand I of Aragon. They would have nine children: João, Filipa, Afonso, Maria, Fernando, Leonor, Duarte, Catarina and Joana.

Before he became King, Duarte followed his father in the affairs of the Kingdom. He was knighted in 1415, after the Portuguese conquest of the city of Ceuta, in North Africa.

In 1433, João I died of the plague and Duarte succeeded him. As King, Duarte showed interest in building consensus. During his short reign, he called the Portuguese Cortes (the national assembly) no less than five times! He also followed his father's politics concerning the exploration of Africa. He encouraged and financed his brother Henrique (called the Navigator), and it was during his reign that an expedition of Gil Eanes first rounded Cape Bojador.

Unfortunately, the colony at Ceuta would reveal itself a drain to the national treasury, and it was realised that, without the city of Tangier, Ceuta would be worthless. In 1437, Duarte's brothers Henrique and Fernando persuaded him to launch an attack to the Marinid sultanate of Morocco. The expedition was not unanimously supported and was undertaken against the advice of the Pope. Those instincts were justified: failing to take the city in a series of assaults, the Portuguese siege camp was surrounded and starved into submission by a Moroccan relief army. Henrique then promised to give back Ceuta in return for allowing the Portuguese army to depart unmolested. Infante Fernando was handed over to the Marinids as a hostage for the final handover of the city.

The debacle over Tangier dominated Duarte's final year. His brothers Pedro and João urged him to fulfil the promise, yield Ceuta and secure Fernando's release; however, Henrique urged him to renege it. Caught in indecision, Duarte assembled the Cortes at Leiria for consultation. The Cortes decided to hang on to Ceuta and urged Duarte to find some other means of obtaining Fernando's release.

Duarte died on 9 September 1438, victim of the plague like his father and mother before him. Popular lore suggested he died of heartbreak over Fernando's fate. Eleanor of Aragon would become regent for her son, Afonso V; while she was regent, she signed the royal documents as the sad Queen.

Duarte of Portugal
18th century

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