150 - How a truce was arranged between Castile and Portugal

Summary

At the end of the three-year period of truce between Castile and Portugal came the year 1393, when the state of war was renewed between the King [of Portugal] and Don Enrique, heir to the kingdom of Castile, as we have said. Because of his young age, the prince was given as tutors and guardians Don Pedro [Díaz de Tenorio], Archbishop of Toledo, Don Juan García Manrique, Archbishop of Santiago, Don Gonzalo Núñez de Guzmán, Master of the Order of Calatrava, and Juan Hurtado de Mendoza, his chief steward. At this time, he had already laid aside the Portuguese title and coat of arms that his father bore, and he was in the city of Zamora with these tutors and rulers of the kingdom, although the Marquess of Villena and the Count of Niebla, who had principal charge of him, were absent. With the consent and agreement of the aforementioned, of other lords and nobles of the kingdom, and proctors of four cities who were part of his royal council, they recognised that it was a service to God and to their liege lord the king, and to the benefit of the country and his subjects not to be at war or have any other disagreement with Portugal, and so arranged to negotiate a truce with its king.

As envoys to the King of Portugal they sent Don Juan [de Serrano], Bishop of Sigüenza, Pero López de Ayala, Governor General of Toledo, and a doctor named Antón Sánchez. They arrived in Lisbon where the king was at that time, explaining to him why they had come and what their powers were in this matter. Having spoken about this business, the king ordered Dom Álvaro Gonçalves, Prior of the Order of the Hospitallers, and Doctor João das Regras, both of his royal council, to negotiate on his behalf with the envoys according to what they considered to be in his best interests and for the good of the kingdom.