Journey through Time
1385 - Trancoso Battle
Political Context Prior to the Trancoso Battle
The death of D. Fernando in 1383, the Treaty of Salvaterra de Magos, signed in April of the same year between the queen, Leonor Teles, Count João Andeiro and the King of Castile, determined that the Portuguese crown would belong to the descendants of the King of Castile, D. Juan I, and the capital relocated to Toledo.
The Kingdom of Castile would inevitably dominate Portugal. The situation that is created causes discomfort and does not please the majority of the Portuguese population.
In light of these circumstances, the population of Lisbon proclaims D. João, Master of Avis, half brother of D. Fernando, as “ruler, governor and defender of the kingdom”. The revolt of the Portuguese population is felt in several areas and cities of the Kingdom, in 1384, the King of Castile comes to Portugal, at the request of D. Leonor Teles. Between February and October, the city of Lisbon is besieged, by land and sea, with the support of the Castilian fleet. This tactic does not work, not only due to the determination of the Portuguese forces, but also because Lisbon was properly walled and defended.
During a temporary period in which combats with Castile had ceased, the Master’s party moved towards a different battle, political one. Therefore, in March and April of 1385 the Courts of Coimbra were summoned to proclaim The Master of Avis, King of Portugal.
Castilian Incursion in th Beira Region
The Castilians depart from Ciudad Rodrigo on their way to Beira with the objective of sacking and causing as much damage as possible, destroying fields and vineyards, imprisoning people, sacking and setting fires.
They were told that they would not find an organized resistance. They knew that the King of Portugal, D.. João I, and his constable, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, were occupied in the north of the Country involved in the siege of the city of Guimarães, therefore would not offer resistance. On the other hand, they knew of the discordance between Portuguese noblemen of Beira making it improbable that there would a reunited force to oppose the invasion.
As a result, the Castilian army departs from Ciudad Rodrigo, approximately on May 14, 1385 and arrives in Portugal. The army was comprised of 400 horsemen, from Castilian noble families or wealthy bourgeois. These horsemen had strong armours, as well as spears and swords, and could fight both on foot and mounted. The army also had 200 ginetes or light horsemen, armed with darts and mounted, that usually attacked the flanks or the enemy’s rearguard, and always resorted to a mounted attack. Accompanying the horsemen and ginetes were hundreds of men on foot, armed with arrows and archers. Once in Viseu, the Castilian army sacked the city and made hundreds of prisoners that would be taken to Castile. They then set the city on fire.
The Portuguese Reaction
The situation had assumed scandalous proportions. It was crucial to promote peace amongst the noblemen of Beira , at least to avoid that the pillages be taken to Castile, and, if possible, assure that the invaders were punished, seeing they were unable to avoid the devastation in Beira. D. João I, knowing he had no time to lose, orders his commander of the guard, João Fernandes Pacheco, to meet with the noblemen of Beira and settle their differences. It was then that the noblemen of Beira reconciled.
The Unraveling of the Battle
Knowing the Castilians would stop in Trancoso, on their way back to Castile, the Portuguese settled approximately 2 kilometres south of the town, in a place where the Castilian army would unavoidably have to pass by. The location was Veiga de Trancoso, near the chapel of São Marcos.
The Portuguese army was comprised of five noblemen from Beira: Gonçalo Vasques Coutinho, Martim Vasques de Cunha, João Fernandes Pacheco, Gil Vasques da Cunha and Egas Coelho. Over 300 horsemen and a little over 1.000 men on foot, the great majority of which inexperienced in using artillery. There were no ginetes or archers.
The following morning, on May 29, 1385, the Portuguese army placed itself in a similar position to the one used in Atoleiros, and that would later be used in Aljubarrota, in other words, with a front, flanks and rearguard. All or the majority of the 400 Portuguese horsemen were splaced in the forefront. The men on foot were situated along the two flanks and rearguard.
With the road obstructed, the Castilians made a proposal to the Portuguese that consisted in returning the pillage, as well as free the Portuguese prisoners as long as the Castilian army could continue their march to Castile. The Portuguese refused.
João Rodrigues de Castanheda ordered that his 400 horsemen dismount their horses, give them to their servants, and combat on foot. Only the ginetes would fight on a horse, most likely placed on each end of the two sides of the Castilian army. Some armed men were in the rearguard, guarding the Portuguese prisoners.
The Castilian attack fell on the Portuguese front and the two flanks. The battle was extremely violent, having lasted the whole day. The Battle of Trancoso therefore took place in a considerably small area, that presently corresponds to Veiga de Trancoso, and lasted approximately eight hours.
The Portuguese, the Castilian horsemen and the Castilian peasants fought the entire time on foot, unlike the 200 Castilian ginetes whom fought mounted on horses.
It is probable that the Castilians rehearsed several attacks throughout the day, after having been regrouped, simultaneously using the load of the cavalry of the ginetes and the attack of the men of arms on foot, while the Castilian archers fired their arrows.
The attack from the ginetes may have focused on the Portuguese flanks and rearguard, while the arms men attacked the Portuguese front on foot.
What we do know is that by the end of the day the Castilian army was completely defeated and many of the Portuguese prisoners were able to free themselves and fight in the battle as well.
The participation of the Portuguese prisoners was certainly significant, not only in their number, but also in the hostility felt towards the Castilians because of the way they had been treated
On the Castilian side, only a few ginetes were spared, including their captain, Pedro Soares de Quinhones. The Castilian horsemen, whom were from important families as referred previously, all died, except Garcia Guterres, whom Gil Vasques de Cunha chose not to kill, so that as a prisoner, he could identify the dead Castilian horsemen and later return to Castile and let them known of what had happened in this battle.
On the Portuguese side, and according to the chroniclers of that time, the number of deaths was insignificant.
Consequences of the Battle
In Portugal all were aware that 1385 was a decisive period in the war with Castile. In fact, after the Courts of Coimbra proclaimed D. João I, King of Portugal, and following the military victories of 1384, the war with Castile had reached its decisive phase. Therefore this new victory occurred at a very important stage and, as consequence, brought great enthusiasm and trust in the defenders of the independence of Portugal.
Secondly, this victory was yet another confirmation that the Castile army was not invincible, in spite of their numeric superiority and artillery. It was evident that the Portuguese courage and determination would surpass their tremendously unfavourable circumstances. Therefore, news of the victory in Trancoso certainly contributed to motivate the Portuguese to face the decisive battle that took place 77 days later in Aljubarrota.
Thirdly, the result in Trancoso had a strategic consequence of yet a greater importance that consisted in dissuading the King of Castile, from Elvas, of continuing his march to Lisbon. He had intended to march directly to Lisbon, where his fleet was already stationed. This move would be done along with another Castilian army that would move into Beira.
Once the King of Castile heard of the defeat of the Castilian army in Trancoso he retreated and abandoned the siege in Elvas, and gave up on the idea of moving directly from there to Lisbon. Instead, he retreated to Ciudad Rodrigo, in Castile, to reorganize his troops. This circumstance not only prevented two simultaneous Castilian attacks on Portugal, but also allowed the troops of D. João I to have an advantage of several days over the enemy, crucial in their preparation for the decisive Battle of Aljubarrota.
