Chapter 4 - How it was planned that Count Juan Fernández was to be killed, and for what reason his death was averted

Summary

Once again plans were laid to bring about the count's death, and this is how it was to be done. When the queen wrote to all the noblemen in the land, urging them to attend the month's mind which was due to be held for King Fernando, she sent the message to Nuno Álvares, who was with his wife in the province of the Minho, requesting his presence at the ceremony.

Nuno Álvares, greatly disturbed at the king's death, made ready without delay, along with thirty squires, all well equipped with their arms, plus a number of foot soldiers. No one else went to the month's mind accompanied by soldiers other than he. In this way, he arrived in Lisbon, where the ceremony was due to be held.

After the obsequies and everything else had been completed, on a given day Nuno Álvares went to see Prior Pedro Álvares, his brother. Having talked to him and spent some time with certain noblemen who were present, he walked away in solitude through the palace, pondering on what would befall the realm, now that it had become bereft. He wondered who would defend it against those who might seek to attack it, especially as it was said that the King of Castile had arrested Prince João and his own brother Count Alfonso, as soon as he had learned that King Fernando was dead, and was assembling his troops with a view to making a powerful incursion into the kingdom.

With all this on his mind, he reached the positive conclusion that there was nobody else who had greater reason to undertake the defence of the realm than the Master of Avis, the son of King Pedro. He knew that he was a valiant knight, for he had been closely acquainted with him for a very long time. He swiftly realised that the task had to begin with the death of Count Juan Fernández Andeiro, in whom the queen placed such high hopes. With his mind aflame with these thoughts, he looked around throughout the palace and came upon Rui Pereira his uncle, who happened to be there.