Red City on the Ocean

Chapter 7. Siege and Escape

In the camp set up around the castle of Vila Viçosa, you could only walk up or down, because the castle stood on a high hill with steep slopes, and this exhausted the soldiers even before the assault began. Cursing each other, the horses, and the authorities, the gunners began to set up bombards in firing positions. Younger soldiers, grimacing from the strain, pulled stone stands from carts, struggling to drag them up the steep incline, and arranged them from corner to corner. Meanwhile, the old men skillfully rolled the bombards onto special stretchers and carried them to the stone stands.

The horses, exhausted by the long march under the sun, greedily slurped water and chewed their oats while the cavalrymen removed the saddles and examined the horseshoes. The infantrymen were chopping down trees in a grove nearby and preparing fascines – bundles of branches to throw into the moat under the fortress wall. Soon the archers also came to their aid. The soldiers looked up at the square battlements of the walls and towers holding their helmets so they would not fall off their heads.

The leader of the army, General Afonso, approached the wall accompanied by an entourage. "Hey there!" one of his officers shouted. This officer had already tried to talk to the castle guards but was turned away from the gate.

A sentry's head, covered with a shiny round helmet, hung out of an opening between the battlements of the wall. "What do you want?" The sentry said calmly.

The officer shouted, "Tell the Duke that General Afonso himself will speak to him now!"

A few minutes passed. Another man appeared next to the sentry. He also leaned over the wall and shouted, "Heed our terms! First, all troops are to move away from the castle a thousand paces. Second, General Afonso approaches the gate alone and unarmed, and we will lower the bridge to him. After crossing the bridge, the general will enter the castle and speak with Duke de Braganza. That is all."

Soon the general was granted entry to the castle. Duke Fernando II de Braganza was waiting for him outside the gate – not yet old, still handsome and strong in his armor. A doublet of black brocade embroidered with gold peeked out from under his iron breastplate. Orange trousers shaped like Chinese lanterns encircled the duke's hips. The duke was known for his indulgence in the most lavish fashions and remained true to his reputation even now.

"Speak up, General," the duke began immediately.

Under de Braganza's gaze, the general took off his helmet. The wind chilled his scalp under his sparse sweaty strands of hair. "The king's terms are as follows:" Afonso declares, "The king promises to discuss everything peacefully with you if you leave the castle and come to him for negotiations. No harm will come to your family. That's the King's word. Additionally, Duke, not a hair on your head will be harmed if you allow my army to enter the castle. I swear on the honor of the general."

"Oh, is that it?" de Braganza said thoughtfully. "Well, I also promise that not a single hair on your head will be harmed, but only if you depart promptly with your army. In addition, I promise you that you will keep your position when the Cortes elects a new king. But, again, only on the condition that you immediately take your army back to where you came from."

"The king is supported by the whole of Portugal," the general said, involuntarily pulling himself to attention under the gaze of the duke's intelligent eyes. "The people won't support you. The king will not uphold the promises I have proposed if you do not allow my army to enter the castle. Think about it; I have received exceptional powers from His Majesty. Don't force me to storm the castle. Our bombards have pierced walls stronger than yours."

"The Portuguese will never give up," the duke said. "That's what makes them as brave as you, General. They will never surrender. When they come to the battle, there is no backing down, no room for cowardice."