Iberian Union - Why didn't Spain conquer Portugal?

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The conflict of Ormuz at the beginning of the seventeenth century, which resulted
in the Portuguese defeat in 1622 and in the consequent loss of this important eastern
fortress, is a topic that has been studied almost exclusively in terms of its direct relationship
with the decline of the Portuguese empire in Asia. However, the integration of Portugal
into the Hispanic monarchy (1580-1640) makes it necessary to consider the global
equilibrium of the Habsburg Empire throughout this period. The main purpose of this
article is therefore to demonstrate how the question of Ormuz was dealt with in Madrid,
while also seeking to understand in what way the evolution of the Portuguese position in
the Persian Gulf was conditioned by the perception of, and the importance attributed to,
the region in the global politics of the Habsburgs.
For a long time, the effects of the Habsburg government on the politics of the
Portuguese empire were generally disregarded by historiographies describing the
Portuguese overseas empire and the union of Portugal and Castile. The privileges granted
by the Carta Patente of the Cortes de Tomar, which stipulated that the two empires would be
kept separate, and that the kingdom of Portugal would retain its autonomy, has led
historians to believe that the different Portuguese colonial territories evolved in isolation
from the overall evolution of the Hispanic monarchy.2 Whenever the dynastic union was
considered, it was only to find the Catholic monarchs responsible for all the empire’s
misfortunes. It is true, however, that the theses of both autonomy and negligence have
started to be gradually questioned by an impartial historiography, a historiography that is
concerned with the impact of the Habsburg government on the political, economic, social
and cultural framework of Portugal and its empire, and which has devoted privileged
attention to the Iberian Atlantic world.3 However, studies about the Portuguese overseas
territories in Asia are far rarer, and it is generally still believed that the Habsburg
government had no influence whatsoever on the politics of the Estado da Índia and the
succession of events that occurred in many of its territories4 (something that is immediately
contradicted by the very existence of works such as the 1582 Livro das Cidades e Fortalezas).

During the union of the Portuguese and Castilian crowns, the territories of the
Portuguese empire were administered closely by Madrid, notwithstanding the existence of
Portuguese institutions and actors in Lisbon and Madrid whose purpose was to guarantee
Portuguese representation in the monarchy as a whole. The Portuguese territories became
part of a strategy that had ramifications throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, the
Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, the Far East and the Pacific Ocean. The reason is very
simple: the complementarity between the spaces of the two empires was too closely
intertwined, not only geographically, but also politically and economically, making it
impossible for Madrid to exclude the Portuguese overseas territories from its global
politics.5 This fact was particularly crucial at a time when the immense spread of the
Habsburg realm was beginning to reveal certain weaknesses, and when the challenges
presented by the growing competition of the North European maritime powers were
gradually multiplying. Indeed, the administration of the Portuguese empire during the
Habsburg government cannot be conceived of as existing outside the political and
administrative framework of the Habsburgs, with all of their interests, strategies, and
priorities.
However, the Portuguese overseas empire was a far-reaching structure, with
territories scattered throughout several different regions in the Americas, Africa, the Indian
Ocean, the Persian Gulf, Southeast Asia, and the Far East. Some of these regions were
naturally closer to the core interests of the monarchy, and it was only natural that Madrid
concentrated most of its attention on those territories. When dealing with the many
challenges of the Portuguese overseas territories, Madrid acted according to an informal
hierarchy of priorities, dictated by the Castilian perception of each territory and the way in
which they affected the central interests of the monarchy.

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Select video clips courtesy of Pexels

[Silvius]

Why Portugal never conquerd spain? is the question.

[aragons]

Flag: D, E and F are the ones i favor. Good Video! (I left a sub)

[RodrigoMartins-sxvu]

I'm not sure if i'd like that, sure there are benefits, but the feeling of it happening is at best bitter sweet

[gatesofkilikien]

Nice video! One thing I've found interesting about this period is that Chinese history books still refer to them separately, like how the Portuguese colonized Macau and Taiwan but the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. I wonder if this has to do with the fact that the colonies were administered separately by Portugal and Spain, respectively.

[Joaocruz]

Caro Sr. O seu canal é muito interessante mas tenho uma consideração a fazer( e não uma crítica! Pois quem sou eu para isso se nem um canal sei fazer?) Você tem um bom inglês, contudo o facto de falar muito rápido faz com que misture e junte sílabas, o que torna mais difícil ter uma boa dicção) outra coisa: Então traduz nomes tugas? Como "king Sebastian"? É Sebastião! se os bifes não perceberem temos pena! ;) Um abraço e parabéns pela excelente produção! Abraços

[First]

For the flags, D and B are my favorite.

[TagusMan]

Iberian Union, no. Iberian Leaugue? Talvez. It's entirely possible that Spain bulcanizes into smaller nations, so why would Portugal want to get involved with that telenovela? An Iberian League of Nations, however, could be an interesting political alternative. Portugal, Castilla, Galicia, Catalunia, Asturias, País Vasco all working together to improve the Peninsula while at the same time respecting each others sovereignty. And imagine a Liga Iberica de Futebol ⚽ with Porto, Benfica and Sporting in the same league as Real Madrid and Barcelona.

[bolsa]

Iberian unions were tried often. Nah, no union is wished. Not even the spanish want to be spanush... Just look at Catalunia, Canary islands, Basque country etc

[Lacteagalaxia]

La unión ibérica dinástica fue justa pues la madre de Felipe ll era la princesa de Portugal y era claramente el más directo sucesor al trono otra cosa es que tuviera muchos o pocos apoyos allí la aventura ibérica duro 60 años y dejaron el control en manos de virreyes .

[GarethLeonard]

Love your videos! What's the best way to get ahold of you? If you can, please send me a DM on Instagram.

Awesome video, thank you. What is the movie you use on the video?

[KevinLopez-pull]

C or E is the best flag alternatives, although I think ambriogos spinolas tercio flag is the best, there is nothing boring about the cross of burgundy.