The king, thus saved from vassalage by the devotion of Moniz, is considered the first independent ruler of Portugal.  Shortly after this occurrence, he defeated five Moorish rulers in the battle of Ourique, where the Portuguese claim he was favored with the appearance of a cross in the sky.  Because of this miracle, the Portuguese monarch incorporated a cross on his shield, surrounding it with five coins, said to represent the five kings he defeated.  Later on, being made a prisoner at Badajoz, he abdicated in favor of his son.

After proudly enumerating the heroic deeds of various Alphonsos and Sanchos of Portugal, Da Gama related the touching tale of Fair Inez de Castro (retold by Mrs. Hemans), to whom Don Pedro, although she was below him in station, was united by a secret marriage.  For several years their happiness was unbroken and several children had been born to them before the king, Don Pedro’s father, discovered this alliance.  Taking advantage of a temporary absence of his son, Alphonso the Brave sent for Inez and her children and sentenced them all to death, although his daughter-in-law fell at his feet and implored him to have mercy upon her little ones, even if he would not spare her.  The king, however, would not relent, and signalled to the courtiers to stab Inez and her children.

  In tears she utter’d—­as the frozen snow
  Touch’d by the spring’s mild ray, begins to flow,
  So just began to melt his stubborn soul,
  As mild-ray’d Pity o’er the tyrant stole;
  But destiny forbade:  with eager zeal
  (Again pretended for the public weal),
  Her fierce accusers urg’d her speedy doom;
  Again dark rage diffus’d its horrid gloom
  O’er stern Alonzo’s brow:  swift at the sign,
  Their swords, unsheath’d, around her brandish’d shine. 
  O foul disgrace, of knighthood lasting stain,
  By men of arms a helpless lady slain!

On returning home and discovering what his father had done, Don Pedro was ready to rebel, but was restrained from doing so by the intervention of the queen.  But, on ascending the throne when his father died, Don Pedro had the body of his murdered wife lifted out of the grave, decked in regal apparel, seated on the throne beside him, and he compelled all the courtiers to do homage to her and kiss her dead hand, vowing as much honor should be shown her as if she had lived to be queen.  This ceremony ended, the lady’s corpse was laid in a tomb, over which her mourning husband erected a beautiful monument.  Then, hearing his wife’s slayers had taken refuge with Peter the Cruel, Don Pedro waged war fierce against this monarch until he surrendered the culprits, who, after being tortured, were put to death.

Vasco da Gama also related how another king, Fernando, stole fair Eleanora from her husband, and vainly tried to force the Portuguese to accept their illegitimate daughter Beatrice as his successor.