Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-04-25
WHAT BECAME OF
SEBASTIAN OF
PORTUGAL?

SE0Ao IAN VI
L PORTUGAL? <
The mystery OF what became Of
Sebastian. the king OF Portugal, stirred
the people of that country to such an
extent that when he was killed and his
army annihtlated at Al kasr al Kebir,
In Morocco. in 1873. "Sebastianism' be-
came q religion among the Portuguese.
Its votaries believed that the hidden
king. as they referred to him, was
either absent on a pilgrimage or. like
King Arthur in Avalon, was awaiting
the hour of his second advent in some
enchanted island.
Although his body was identified be-
fore burial at Al Kasr, and in 1882 was
reinforced at Ceuta and thence re-
moved by Philip II of Spain to the
IConvento dos ~Jeronymos in Lisbon.
many Portuguese refused to credit his
death. There was so much mystery
about it all that r rave a chance for
four pretenders to the throne to im-
%persOnate Sebastian.
The first two, known rom the placer
of their birth as king Of Penamacor"
and King of Ericeira," were of peas
ant origin, and were captured in 1884
and 1885, respectively. The third. Ga
briel Espinosa, was a man of some edu-
cation, whose adherents included men,
bers OF h Austrian and Spanish
courts. and the Society Of Jesus Of Por-
tugal. He was put to death in 1884.
The fourth was a Calabrian named
Marco Tullio. who knew no Portu-
guese, but unprecedented he hidden
king at Venice in 1903 and. gained
many supporters, but was ultimately
captured and put to death.
There is no doubt that the fate OF
Sebastian was sealed in the battle
5, 1873. One story was that after the
battle his body stripped and showing
seven wounds was found on a heap of
the slain; that 1t was taken to Fec
and there buried. Another story was
hat after a briNiant< charge on his
enemies he was taken I'm, but having
been rescued by Lui de Brito he
escaped unpursued.
Certainly no one had seer the king
killed and IT was strange that no part
of his clothing or accoutrements was
ever found. These were Of great splen-
dor. beauty n worth, and must have
been easily traceable. There was a
r,,nor that on the night following the
battle some flgitiveS. among whom
was one of commanding distinction.
sought refuge In Arzilla.
Sebastian was of II headstrong, vio-
III t'sNSoie oiI0 WI IfCNlCS OuIdEe ~
boundless ambition founded on a deep
religious feeling. For this reason his
o. and Stanch admirers would
never believe that he had been killed.
1t was the came Sebastian whose re-
ifgious fervor and military ambition
became one when he conceived the
idea of renewing the Crusades. 1t was
his ambition to recover tn. Holy Land
from the dominion OF the Paynim and
become himself master of Morocco in
h doing of ii.
Everything about this king of Por-
tugal tended to make his believers who
were 80 full of faith i'm him. believ,.
that some day he would turn up again,
and for that reason there We're so many
impostors who took advantage OF this
staunch faith. They prophesied that
he would come back some day.
Even as late as 1908, upon occasion
of the French occupation Of Portugal.
n strange belief OF the Hidden
King broke out afresh. The old
prophecy WAS renewed, with a local and
personal application. Napoleon was to
be destroyed in the Holy Week OF 1908
proach from his mysterious retreat was
to be yelled with "A thick fog.
There were to be- new p%ortents; the
sky was to be emblazOned with the
cross of the Order Of Aviz, and on
March IS a full moon was to occur
uuIins the last quarter. All these
things We're f~oretold in an egg after
wards sent by Junot to the National
museum.
An authority on the subject of King
Sebastian. M. d'Antas. relates that as
late as 1888. after h crushing of a
Sebastian insurrection in Brazil, GER
tain still believing Sebastianists were
to be seen along the cpast peering
through h fog for the sails> Of the
mythical ship which was to bring to
them h hidder king. who was Their
to reveal himselfA
To the Portuguese at least. there is
still considerable mystery regarding
the fate OF their much beloved Sebas-
tian. and as to whether his body lies
buried near home OF whether he is still
wandering In the mysterious realms OF
which they are not sure. the devoted
Portuguese are still very much divided.
E;aAs Gala Akh>.>