Urte Krass, The Portuguese Restoration of 1640 and Its Global Visualization. Political Iconography and Transcultural Negotiation

The death of Sebastian I, King of Portugal, on a battlefield in Alccer Quibir, Morocco, in August 1578 triggered a series of events which inevitably led to the end of the Avis monarchy in 1580.Sebastian's untimely death marked the beginning of political upheaval and the transition of Portugal's throne to another crown and dynasty.Portugal and its global trade empire, which linked Lisbon to Africa, Brazil, India (Goa) and the Far East (Macau), was suddenly up for grabs.Sebastian's failure to secure his succession with an heir compounded this impending crisis, as royal candidates from different courts engaged in a fierce legal battle for a legitimate takeover.A power vacuum quickly ensued, reshuffling the political chess board for several royals and princes, whose dream of a global throne was a game worth playing.A handful of contenders staked their claim to rule Portugal.The list of potential candidates read like a "Who's Who" of Renaissance Europe: a Habsburg King, Phi lip II of Spain; a Valois Queen of France, Catherine de' Medici; two Italian princes, Ranuccio I Farnese, Prince of Parma and Ema