Fernandine Wars


The Fernandine Wars were a series of three conflicts between the Kingdom of Portugal under King Ferdinand I and the Crown of Castile under King Henry II. They were fought over Ferdinand's claim to the Castilian succession after the death of King Peter of Castile in 1369.

Treaty of Salvaterra

The Treaty of Salvaterra de Magos was an agreement signed in 1383 between Portugal and Castile in order to end a period known in Portugal as the Fernandine Wars.
To celebrate the peace between the two kingdoms, king Fernando I of Portugal agreed on the marriage of his daughter and heir, Beatrice of Portugal, with king John I of Castile. However, to avoid the union of the two countries, this pre-nuptial agreement established the rules to the succession for the two thrones.
It was never Fernando's intention to form a union of the kingdoms of Portugal and Castile. Therefore, it was agreed that following his death his wife, queen Leonor Telles de Menezes would assume the regency in Portugal until the son of Beatrice and John would reach 14 years old, when he would become the future king of Portugal.
The main clauses of the Treaty of Salvaterra stipulated:
In the famous Cortes of Coimbra, João das Regras, a lawyer supporting John Master of Aviz claims to the throne of Portugal, defended that due to the disrespect to the Treaty of Salvaterra clauses, Beatrice and John I of Castile should be excluded from the throne.