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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 January 2024
Let us return to speak of more things that were agreed in that royal council by the constable and the other lords, for they made decisions regarding war, into which state they could afterwards, by chance or some circumstance, easily enter unexpectedly, despite the peace in which they were engaged. For the good maintenance and better security of the country, they arranged that the king might always have for the defence of his kingdoms 3,200 lances: that is, 500 captains, 2,360 squires of one lance and, from the military orders of the kingdom, 340 men. This comprised 100 from the Master of the Order of Christ for himself and his commanders; another 100 from the Master of the Order of Santiago; 80 from the Master of the Order of Avis; and 60 from the Prior of the Order of the Hospitallers.
In addition, the king was to have 500 complete suits of armour; the constable, Dom Afonso (the king's bastard son), the Master of the Order of Christ, the Master of the Order of Santiago, the Bishop of Coimbra, the Archbishop of Lisbon, the Archbishop of Braga and the Bishop of Évora, 50 suits each; the Master of the Order of Avis would have 40; Gonçalo Vasques Coutinho, the Bishop of Oporto and the Prior of Santa Cruz [of Coimbra], 30 each; the Prior of Crato, the Bishop of Silves, the Bishop of Viseu, the Bishop of Guarda and the Bishop of Lamego, as well as the Prior of Alcobaça, would each have 20. With these 1,150 suits, as well as the weapons that there were in the kingdom, the land would be evenly prepared for its hour of need, whenever such a thing might happen, although this might be thought unlikely, owing to the good friendship and peace that had been established, as you have heard.
In order to reform the king's household, the royal council also dealt with what was the total value of his income and royal dues. They found that the whole kingdom rendered to him 81 contos and a little over 600,000 libras; that is, the sales taxes brought in some 60 contos and 600,000 libras and the royal dues brought in 20 contos and 950,000 libras.
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