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The Tale of the Twelve of England
When John of Gaunt called on twelve Portuguese knights to defend the honour of twelve Lancastrian ladies
In one of the most iconic pieces of Portuguese literature, Lusíadas (1572), the poet Luís de Camões mentions in passing an episode that occurred between the English and the Portuguese kingdom. With one of the oldest alliances in the world, both nations have held trade and diplomatic relations for a very long time (as is proven by the love the British hold for Port, known — and produced only — in Portugal as Vinho do Porto).
Today, I will discuss the tale of the Os Doze de Inglaterra (“The Twelve of England”), a medieval Anglo-Portuguese story of the late fourteenth century that stands as a testament to the historic diplomatic relationship between the two realms.
Historical Context
Even though they had already successfully existed for centuries, Anglo-Portuguese diplomatic relations were celebrated by the Treaty of Windsor in 1386. This treaty consisted in an alliance that sealed the friendship between Portugal and England, strengthened by the marriage of King João I of Portugal to Philippa of Lancaster, John of Gaunt’s eldest daughter by Blanche of Lancaster, his first wife, and niece of Richard II, king of England. This…
