Joao I the Crusader
Joao I
The Beginning of the 15th century was a major turning point for the nation of Portugal. Wars against the moors had all but ended, it last stronghold Granda was being attacked by all side by the angry Christian nations. But Portugal was experiencing a new dynasty in it, Joao I had established the house Aziz in Portugal, with the help of one of histories greatest generals of the time Nuno Alvares Perira, the only cotemporaries that can really be compared are Iuga I Musat the great of Moldvia, and Vladimir II of Smolensk.
Saint Nuno
Joao seemed to be leading through a time of peace and prosperity gaining allies in the form of England and Aragon. That was till a young preacher named Vicente di Costa for the monasteries in Portugal came to the court, and began to preach. He preached that they should join their brothers in castile in pushing out the moor out of Spain, and making the moor pay for every drop of blood during their occupation.
He won over the Joao I who gathered his armies and declared war on Moors, citing he would re-conquer the lost lands of Taingers. The war of the Conquest of Taingers or the Moorish Crusade had begun.
England with help of the Pope Boniface declared a crusade on the city of Granada. Nuno Alvares Perira landed in Gibraltar making quick work of Mustafa Ibn Hakan army, and captured the city. Things in Mooroco were not going as well as there were in Iberia, the English had tried two times to land a force being repulsed both times a larger force. During the third landing Joao himself landed. The English looked like they were going to be defeated and were about to rout when Joao launced a cavalry strike against their lines routing many, and giving the English time to regroup.
The moors sent all of their infantry against Portugal’s army where they were surrounded and massacred; the Moorish army had been destroyed.
Shortly afterwards a large army lead by Henry IV Lancaster, or better known as Henry the Crusader defeated what was left of the armies at the battle of Ceuta with the help of Portugal. It did not take long to bring the moors to peace. Agreeing to cede Tangiers to England and Ceuta, and Mellila to Portugal. Vicenete went south as soon as the treaty was signed to convert the ‘heathens’.
Henry IV the Crusader
Though the peace would not last long, the English would drag Portugal into another war. This time over it’s goal to conquer Connaught, bring it also at war with Brittany. Portugal determined to help its Ally sent Nuno Alvares Perira with a army of 5831 to invade Brittany. They where soon met with the army of Brittany led by the Regent Arthur de Dol. The resulting battle would be the highlight of Perira’s career. The Battle of Finstere began with a massive Portuguese arrow barrage (a trick they learned during the battle of Ceuta), this provoked the Breton cavalry to charge but they were unaware of the spike trap the Portuguese laid out for them the cavalry. The Bretons fell right into the trap, routing their cavalry.
The infantry then engaged the Bretons on the other side of the field when Nuno ordered a cavalry strike on the flanks routing the army. The English invaded days later. Afraid of getting cutoff Nuno headed south to regroup with the English, but they were intercepted by Arthur’s men at Morbihan, the battle was going back and forth till the reinforcements arrived and forced Arthur to retreat back to Finstere. Weeks later a peace was singed between the two, Brittany would concede defeat and pay Portugal the measly sum of 5 ducats.
A time of Peace returned to Portugal. Diplomatically Portugal began to establish herself gaining alliances with Castille and Austria. But shocking news came from Aragon Marti I died without a heir and his sister Maria I was made the queen creating a personal union historians called the Kingdom of Sicily and Aragon.
Queen Maria I
Joao I immediately renegotiated the alliance, with Maria the godmother, which was a plus considering that Sicily was the most dominate state in southern and central Italy. Other important news came from the east Ivan Spyachy overthrew the republic of Novgorod and proclaimed himself the Tsar of Novgorod.
But things were not good for the new kingdom, the much large and newer tsardom Smolensk had taken most of their land during their rebellion and taking some of land belonging to Tver as well, famously being led by Vladimir II.
Vladimir during the rebellion
Wanting to increase taxation throughout his Kingdom Joao I order the first ever population Census to be carried out. Times where good for Portugal but it seemed that Africa would drag them back into war
Map of Portugal it allies enemies, and other key state (or interesting)
