3-097-955 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Supposed Portrait of King Sebastian I of Portugal, c1574-c1578. Sebastian (1554-1580) is dressed in the Spanish fashion, with a black doublet and tunic that accentuate the richness of his sleeves and hose, embroidered in gold on a white background. Signifying his status as a Christian soldier, the king grasps the pommel of his sword, while on his chest he wears the cross of the Order of Christ, of which he was Grand Master as King of Portugal. In his right hand he carries gloves, a common symbol of distinction that appears in numerous portraits of the Habsburgs. A young man raised with chivalric values and eager to become the armed force behind the Catholic cause, he disregarded advice and, in June 1578, went to Africa. On August 5, he was defeated on the plains of Alcazarquivir. The king's body was never found, and thus, Sebastian became a legendary figure. With his death, and having no descendants, Portugal was incorporated into the Spanish crown. From this moment on, the phenomenon of "Sebastianism" emerged, and for years several individuals appeared claiming to be the monarch, supposedly freed after his captivity.