The History of the Revolutions of Portugal. Pierre Marie Louis de Boisgelin de Kerdu
accompanied with Clearness is a strong Recommendation of an Elementary Treatise, and those Qualities seem to be possessed by the present Grammar of Mr. Juigné. It is undoubtedly very desirable to Foreigners to have a convenient and adequate Rule for finding the Gender of such Nouns in French as are Neuter in English. This is promised in the Preface, and is thus executed, for the benefit however of those who understand Latin… The Author promises also, in his Preface, an accurate Genealogical Table of the Parts of Speech… He further promises Rules for distinguishing clearly the Imperfect, and the two Preterits, definite and indefinite; and as the Method of the Author is in general Clear, we doubt not that it will be practically found useful.” – British Critic.
A GENERAL TABLE of all the Italian Verbs, regular and irregular, by which their Conjugation may be immediately found. One Sheet, folio, colored, 3s. 6d. – This Table, composed by R. Juigné, on the same Plan as his Table of the French Verbs, being revised by Mr. Zotti, was printed under the name of Zotti.
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HISTOIRE DES REVOLUTIONS DE PORTUGAL, par l’Abbé de Vertot, continuée jusqu’au temps présent, enrichie de Notes Historiques et Critiques, d’une Table Chronologique des Rois de Portugal et d’une Description du Brésil, par Louis de Boisgelin, Chevalier de Malthe. 12mo. bound, 5s. 6d.
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LA DUCHESSE DE LA VALLIERE, par Madame de Genlis, 2 vol. 12mo. sewed, 8s.
ABRÉGÉ DE L’HISTOIRE DE FRANCE faisant partie du Cours d’études, imprimé par Ordre du Roi, à l’Usage de L’Ecole Royale Militaire, NOUVELLE EDITION contenant l’Histoire de la Révolution jusqu’à la Mort de Louis XVI, avec un Abrégé, en vers, des Epoques les plus intéressantes de l’Histoire de France, 12mo. bound, 5s.
HISTORY
OF THE
REVOLUTIONS OF PORTUGAL
THE kingdom of Portugal makes part of the great extent of country called Spain;4 most of its provinces bear the names of the different kingdoms into which it is divided: that of Portugal lies to the West of Castille, and on the most western coast of Europe; it is only a hundred and ten leagues in length, and its greatest breadth does not exceed fifty. The soil is fertile, the air wholesome, and the heat of the climate is tempered by refreshing breezes and fruitful showers. The crown is hereditary, and the monarch absolute. The formidable tribunal of the Inquisition is regarded by this prince as the safest and most useful means of forwarding his political views, and as such, employed by him with the greatest success. The Portugueze are naturally fiery, proud, and arrogant, greatly attached to their religion, though more superstitious than truly devout; they regard almost every event as a prodigy, and not only persuade themselves, but endeavour to persuade others, that they are the peculiar favourites of Providence, which never fails to protect them in the most extraordinary manner.
The original inhabitants of this country have never been justly ascertained. Some historians make them the descendants of Tubal, and it would be scarcely possible for the most fabulous accounts to trace their origin farther back; every nation, indeed, has some chimerical notions on this head; there is not, however, the smallest doubt, that these provinces belonged successively to the Carthaginians and the Romans; but towards the beginning of the fifth century the whole of Spain became the prey of the Alains, the Sueves, the Vandals, and the rest of the barbarous nations generally termed Goths, when Portugal was sometimes governed by its own appropriate kings, and sometimes subjected to the Castilian monarchs.
During the reign of Roderick, last king of the Goths, in the beginning of the eighth century, the Moors, or more properly speaking the Arabs, subjects of the calif Valid-Almanzar, crossed from Africa into Spain, and conquered a great part of that country, to which they were invited by count Julien, a Spanish nobleman, whose resentment towards Roderick, for the violation of his daughter, induced him to forward by every possible means the designs of the enemy, who extended their dominions from the straits of Gibraltar to the Pyreneans; they could not, however, pierce into the Asturian mountains, where the Christians flew for refuge, and were governed by prince Pelagio, who founded the kingdom of Leon or Oviedo in that spot.
Portugal shared the fate of the other Spanish provinces, and became subject to the Moors, who established a variety of different governments, which on the death of the Great Almanzar became independant, and were transformed into small principalities; these, however, did not long exist, they were disunited by emulation and clashing interests, whilst luxury and indolence completed their ruin.
Henry, count of Burgundy5, descended from Robert, king of France, succeeded in driving the Moors from Portugal towards the beginning of the twelfth century. This prince, animated by the same zealous spirit of religion which caused the Crusades of those times, entered Spain, decided to signalize himself against the infidels, and began his military career under Roderick de Bivar, that celebrated general, distinguished in history by the name of the Cid. He displayed such extraordinary valour in these religious wars, that Alphonso the VIth, king of Castille and Leon, gave him the command of his army. This French prince is said to have defeated the Moors in seventeen pitched battles, and to have driven them from the northern part of Portugal. The king of Castille, anxious to attach so great a general to his service, united him to his daughter the princess Theresa, and at the same time presented him with all the provinces he had conquered as a marriage portion. These the count considerably augmented by fresh victories: he besieged, and took the cities of Lisbon, Viseu, and Coimbra: he succeeded equally in the three provinces situated between the Douro and Minho, which Henry formed into a considerable sovereignty, and though he never took the title of king, he was the original founder of the kingdom of Portugal.
His son, the prince Alphonso, inherited his father’s valour, and succeeded him in his possessions, which he even augmented by new conquests. Thus heroes lay the foundation of empires, whilst the weak and cowardly disgracefully lose them. The soldiers of count Alphonso proclaimed him king, after having gained a great victory over the Moors, and the states general, assembled at Lamego, confirmed this august title, which justly descended to his successors.
It was in this assembly, composed of the principal persons of the nation, that the fundamental laws, relative to the succession to the crown, were established. The first article commences as follows: – May King Alphonso live amongst us, and reign over us! If he has male issue they shall be our kings; the son shall succeed his father, who in his turn shall be succeeded by his son, afterwards by his grandson; and so on to the end of time.
If the king’s eldest son die before his father, the second son shall succeed to the crown; in case of his death, he shall be replaced by the third, who shall be succeeded by the fourth, and, in the same manner, by all the remaining sons of the king.
If the king die without male issue, and should have a brother, he shall be our king; but he shall not be succeeded by his son, unless the said son should be elected by the bishops and states, in which case, but in no other, we will acknowledge him for our sovereign.
If the king of Portugal should leave no male issue, his daughter shall be our queen, provided she marry a Portugueze nobleman; who, however, shall not bear the title of king till after the birth of a male child. In presence of the queen, he shall always be placed on her left hand, and shall not be permitted to wear the regal crown.
This last law shall always be strictly observed, and the king’s eldest daughter shall never espouse any but
The dominions of Spain are denominated Old and New Spain.
Theodore Godefroy, in his treaty on the origin of the kings of Portugal.