133 - How the count attacked the Gascons by night, defeated them, and took away their plunder

Summary

As to the arrival of the Count in Estremoz and his being without any men, as has just been mentioned, it is best for us to speak here immediately, so that you know fully what really took place. It so happened that the count was in Évora after arriving there from Braga. Having set his border defences in good order, he received information that the Castilian Master of Santiago, with many companies at his command, was keen to invade Portugal and do all the harm he could. At once the count went to Estremoz with those few men he always had with him, so as to muster the men of the border area and go to block the master's route and hinder his advance. While he was preparing his incursion, the master learned of this; he changed what he intended to do and disbanded his forces, which vexed the count greatly. He had those who were already with him return to the border areas where they were stationed As he was returning to the town [of Estremoz] from which he had set out, he received a message from the towns of Beja and Serpa, which were 16 leagues from there, saying that the Count of Niebla, according to rumour, with 700 lances, foot soldiers, and crossbowmen, was intending to invade and plunder that region. They pleaded with him to come to their assistance before the enemies could make such a raid.

The count set out at once with those few men that he had, because by then most of the men were back at their borderland posts, as we have said. He decided to go along the border to get more reliable news and to inspect the border towns as to how well they were furnished with what was needed. If he learned that the enemies had already invaded, he planned to cut them off with the border troops that would come to him. With this plan in mind, he departed from Estremoz, crossing the Ossa Mountains, and stayed that night on a riverbank, where he and his companions slept the night. The next day he set out through that rough country, across desolate and unpopulated terrain, and came to Redondo, and then to Monsaraz.