Interesting Facts of History

While I was posting something related to a portuguese cruzade I thought this would be a good way to know some interesting historical events from your country. Besides adding more culture to our brains, we would be also promoting our own countries that are in the world cup.

I'm going to repost something I wrote for a thread in group D and give the example:


The portuguese (lead by Infante Henrique) occupied the north african coast in the 1415 which lands currently belong to Morocco. We stayed there until 1661.
Anyway, during our time there something similar for the domain of Jerusalem happened.
Here's the story in detail:

"Background

D. Sebastian, known in Portugal as the Desired, was the son of the Infante John, son of John III of Portugal, and Joanna, daughter of the Emperor Charles V. His father died before he was born, and he became King at the age of three after the death of his grandfather in 1557. He was educated almost entirely by Jesuits and by his guardian, Catherine of Austria, sister of Charles V. Under these influences his youthful idealism soon mutated into religious fanaticism. In order to distinguish himself from other monarchs he assumed the title of "Most Obedient King", signifying his obedience to the Catholic Church. This obedience was equalled by his hatred for all schismatics and unbelievers, and while still a teenager he convinced himself he was to be Christ's captain in a new crusade against the Moors in North Africa. Up to that time Portuguese military action in Africa had been confined to small expeditions and raids; Portugal had built its vast maritime empire from Brazil to the East Indies by a combination of trade, sea exploration and technological superiority, with Christian conversion of subject peoples being one, but by no means the only, end in view. Sebastian proposed to change this strategy entirely. In 1574 he led a raid to Tangier, whose success encouraged him to grander designs against the Saalian rulers of Morocco. He offered his support to Mulay Mohammed, who was engaged in a civil war to wrest the throne of Morocco from his uncle, the Emir Abd El-Malik. Despite the admonitions of his mother and his uncle Philip II of Spain, and despite Abd El-Malik's offers to treat and even to cede him part of the coast of Morocco, Sebastian used much of Portugal's imperial wealth to equip a large fleet and gather an army including mercenaries from Spain, England and Germany, as well as 2,000 Italians initially recruited to aid an insurrection in Ireland. It is said that his expeditionary force numbered 500 ships, and his army in total numbered about 23,000 men, including the flower of the Portuguese nobility.



The Campaign

After haranguing his troops from the windows of the church of Santa Maria in Lagos, Sebastian departed that port in his armada on 24 June 1578. He landed at Arzila, where Mulay Mohammed joined him with some additional forces, and marched into the interior. The Emir, who was gravely ill, had meanwhile collected a large army – sources put it at 100,000 men – and the two armies approached each other near Alcazarquivir, camping on opposite sides of a river. Athough he had obvious superiority in numbers the Emir again attempted to negotiate a peace, but without success. Sebastian's army was low on provisions and in a poor tactical position as the Moors had occupied all the surrounding high ground, but he could not be persuaded to temporize or withdraw, even by Mulay Mohammed.

The Battle

On 4 August the Portuguese troops were drawn up in battle array, and Sebastian rode round encouraging the ranks. But the Moors advanced on a broad front and encircled his army. The Emir had 10,000 cavalry on the wings, and in the centre he had placed Moors who had been driven out of Spain and thus bore a special grudge against Christians. Despite his illness the Emir left his litter and led his forces on horseback. The ensuing battle ended in the total defeat of the Portuguese, with 8,000 dead, including the slaughter of almost the whole of the country’s nobility, and 15,000 taken prisoner; perhaps 100 survivors escaped to the coast. The body of Sebastian, who had led a charge into the midst of the enemy and was then cut off, was never found. The Emir Abd El-Malik also died during the battle, but from natural causes (the effort of riding was too much for him), and the news was concealed from his troops until total victory had been secured. Mulay Mohammed attempted to flee but was drowned in the river. For this reason the battle was known in Morocco as the Battle of the Three Rulers."


Tangier was still controlled by the hands of the portuguese until Catherine of Bragança, daughter of John IV, married with king Charles II of England. The wedding gifts for english kingdom were the cities of Tangier and Bombay (India). Ceuta later was claimed by the Vatican and given to the spanish. Then the portuguese population living there returned to the motherland and it marked the end of the expedition.
It was the most stupid cruzade ever. We lost thousands of men and a lot of money was wasted.
At the end it was more a question of christian pride and arrogance than anything else. Fortunately we had discovered Brazil, south and center coast of Africa and India so we got our minds on more important issues than annoying the muslims. And "annoying" is the perfect word since fighting on their soil against an army extremely superior was of nuts. Sebastian should had been put in an asylum together with all the wackos that initiated the campaign.
The only victories we can still brag against the muslims was expelling them out of Portugal with a small army and a brave leader.