The Portuguese court of D. João II as seen by two foreigners

Abstract

During the 15th century western European monarchies consolidate themselves as states and look to affirm themselves both internally and externally. In this moment, the symbols, the rituals, the ceremonies and the writings fill a significate role in the affirmation of kings and their territories. In the realm of Portugal since the end of the 14th century, this concern of affirmation has been linked to the dynastic break and the need to preserve the realm's sovereign, which explains in parts the actions of incentive to the production of writings aiming the construction of a memory to the realm, as well as the expansionists campaigns. In the end of the 15th century, in the rule of D. John II, some fruits of these actions began to be harvested and some fame of the realm, especially for the conquests in the north of Africa, stimulated the interest of other populations to know more about this realm of the south. Among those who came visiting Portugual, two left chronicles that appear as particularly relevant for their meticulous description presented of the royal court and for the discrepancies of the evaluations, despite their proximity in time: the one from the ambassador Roger Machado and the one from the knight Nicolás de Popielovo. From the collate of the two reports, we will look to investigate what was seen from the Portuguese court in the fourteenth century and what the court, on its behalf, aspired to show its visitors.