19 - Concerning the Castilian noblemen who invaded Portugal, and how deep they penetrated

Summary

According to what is written by some who have dealt with these events, the King of Castile was at this time in Córdoba, as we mentioned, and had dispatched his fleet to lay siege to Lisbon. He was in great haste to send for all the great lords, nobles and men-at-arms to join with him in invading Portugal from Badajoz, as he had planned to do. He also wrote to Don Pedro Tenorio, the Archbishop of Toledo, and to certain knights who were his vassals, ordering them all to assemble in Ciudad Rodrigo. From there they were to invade the kingdom of Portugal, hack down the vineyards and wheat fields and do as much damage and create as much havoc as they could. Realising that the time was ripe for doing this, they were very pleased, since it was the month of May, which was ideal for it. The archbishop immediately left for Salamanca, to wait there for all the king's vassals with whom he was due to carry out his incursion. Before he reached that city, where it was planned that they should all assemble, a number of captains, who were vassals of the king, arrived at Ciudad Rodrigo. They included Juan Rodríguez de Castañeda, Pedro Suárez de Toledo, chief provincial governor of that city, Álvaro García de Albornoz, the king's chief cup-bearer, Juan Rodríguez Maldorme, Pedro Suárez de Quiñones, Juan Alfonso de Trujillo and other honourable and distinguished noblemen. All together, they numbered some 400 select and honourable lances, not to mention light horsemen, foot soldiers and crossbowmen. In Ciudad Rodrigo they took the decision to make an incursion into enemy territory. We cannot locate any documentary account as to whether these captains were among those who were to join with the archbishop or not. Nevertheless, we consider that they were, and that they resolved to take this action in order to demonstrate their bold and noble qualities and to serve their liege lord without further instructions from any higher authority.

When they were all assembled together, several of them addressed Juan Rodríguez de Castañeda, who was their most prominent figure, as follows: ‘Juan Rodríguez, we think that this incursion which you wish to make isn't to be recommended, because, however much you might gain in the area which you wish to invade, you will find that gain to be exceeded by the fierce opposition that awaits you.