On December 1st, 1640 Portugal regained its independence from the Spanish. The Portuguese lost their independence in 1580 due to a dynastic crisis. Did you know that the Azores played a great resistance against Spanish rule?
In 1578 the Portuguese king D. Sebastião lost his life in the battle of Alcácer Quibir and left no heirs to the throne. His relative, Cardinal D. Henrique, succeeded him, a man of the Church who died in 1580. By this time, Philip II of Spain seized the Portuguese throne and was acclaimed King of Portugal, D. Filipe I. However, a candidate for the throne, the portuguese D. António Prior do Crato was also acclaimed king of Portugal, but was soon defeated by the Spanish on the continent. The last resistance to the Spanish would be made in the Azores.
- António came to the Azores and was acclaimed king of Portugal in Terceira! In order to conquer the Azores the Spanish sent an army and in 1581 the battle of Salga took place where part of the strategy of the Terceira people was to launch cattle against the Spanish. It was a portuguese victory!
In 1582 the Spanish sent another army and this time a naval battle took place near Vila Franca do Campo in São Miguel on July 26th 1582. The Portuguese were supported by the French, but ended up suffering an overwhelming defeat at the hands of the Spanish led by Álvaro de Bazán. The surviving French were beheaded in Vila Franca and some were hanged on the islet of Vila Franca. In the following year, Álvaro de Bazán would set his sights on Terceira and on the 26th and 27th of July, 1583, the battle of Terceira took place, and the Spanish managed to conquer the island and end the Portuguese resistance.
Last modified: 29 de December, 2021
