Dom Duarte I

(1391-1438)

D. Duarte I was born in Viseu, nicknamed "the Eloquent" and "King Philosopher", was King of Portugal from 1433 until his death.

He was the eldest son of King John I and his wife, Queen D. Filipa de Lencastre.

Duarte received his name in honor of his mother's grandfather, King Edward III of England.

From a very young age, D. Duarte accompanied his father in the affairs of the kingdom, thus becoming an heir prepared to reign.

In 1412 he was formally elected by his father his right arm.

Unlike D. João I, D. Duarte was a monarch concerned to create consent among the courts, where during his short five-year reign he convened the courts about five times in order to discuss state matters.

D. Duarte continued the policy of encouraging both maritime exploration and conquest in Africa.

In 1437, his brothers, Henrique and Fernando, convinced him to attack Morocco, in order to consolidate the Portuguese presence in North Africa, where it was intended to create a base for the exploration of the Atlantic Ocean.

The campaign was unsuccessful and the city of Tangier ended up not being conquered, costing the defeat Prince Fernando himself was captured and died in captivity, for refusing to be released in return for the return of Ceuta, which earned him the nickname of "Holy Infante".

D. Duarte himself died shortly after the plague.

Outside the political sphere, D. Duarte was a man interested in culture and knowledge, having written books of poetry and prose.