Chronica de El-Rei D. Affonso V (Vol. I)

A vivid portrait of Portugal’s mid‑15th‑century court emerges from this contemporary chronicle, penned by the king’s trusted chronicler. Drawing on official documents and personal observation, it follows the early years of a monarch whose temperament blends piety, musical taste and a love of daring ventures. The narrative captures the turbulence of palace intrigues, the king’s attempts to balance devotion with governance, and his interactions with influential relatives such as the scholarly Infante Pedro and the intrepid Prince Henry, the navigator.

Beyond the royal portrait, the work sketches the broader landscape of a nation on the brink of overseas expansion. It records the ambitions of explorers, the fierce defense against Turkish threats, and the everyday concerns of Lisbon’s citizens, from legal reforms to economic customs. By intertwining high‑politics with cultural and social details, the chronicle offers listeners a nuanced glimpse into the forces that shaped Portugal’s maritime rise and the character of a ruler whose reign set the stage for the age of discovery.