Medievalista (Jun 2016)

As Ordens Militares em combate nos finais da Idade Média: o caso da Guerra da Sucessão de Castela (1475-1479)

  • António Carlos Martins Costa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4000/medievalista.1007
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19

Abstract

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In the late fifteenth century, distant was the context of the emergence of the Military Orders, which occurred in the Classic Middle Ages, when Cluny diffused the ideal of a strong monasticism, chivalry was established as christianized group and the Crusade sought the freedom of holy places and the removal Islamic threat about Christianity. Within the peninsular area, where these militias were established since the twelfth century to fight the Muslims in the Reconquista, we can look at the hinge to modernity his martial aspect, not always considered by historiography for this time of transitions at war. Taking in account the War of Succession of Castile 1475-1479, we seek to understand - based on portuguese, castilian and aragonese sources – the (active) role assumed by the Military Orders on the preparations and on the operations of the campaign led by Afonso V at the neighboring kingdom, with a high point in the Battle of Toro (1476), as well as the defense of the portuguese frontier; and the actions on the Castile of the Catholic Kings, characterized by volatility positions and internal conflict, these militias staged, as we shall see, various military actions, revealing determinants in the evolution of strife.

Keywords