| Summary: | The ancient relations between Portugal and Burgundy suffered a further development in 1430
with the marriage of Isabel with Philip, the Good. However, in 1449, the tragic death of his brother
Pedro in Alfarrobeira, the denial of a burial grave and the confiscation of Pedro’s possessions, his
children’s inheritance and his supporters’ seem to threaten the close and prosperous relations that
had existed until then. Isabel, protective of the Avis family, funded a small embassy to the court
of King Afonso V, headed by Jean Jouffroy, dean of Vergy, in order to reverse the court’s policy.
The head of this embassy asked to revoke the decrees of treason and confiscation in order to
achieve a Christian burial for Pedro; the devolution of the deceased nobleman’s possessions to
his children; amnesty and recovery of possessions to his former partisans. As the court refused to
return the possessions, Isabel welcomed three of the Duke’s children in Burgundy and promoted
them to international positions. Although the persecution moved to the countess’s family in
Portugal frightened her and brought her some worries, there was no reason to endanger the
relations between the two states.
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