PHILIP II

On the failure of the Portuguese dynasty in 1580, Philip II, a grandson of Manuel I, was the most powerful of the claimants. After the defeat of his nearest rival at the battle of Alcantara, he became master of the country and was crowned on the 25th March 1581.Miquel Cordelles, Diego Talayero and the other signers served under the Council of Aragon, set up by James I in the 13th century. It had representatives and departments for its three main divisions of Aragon, Catalunya and the Balearic Islands. The Chancellery corresponded with foreign sovereigns and internally with the king, ecclesiastics and nobles. The surname Alenyá comes from a village in Rosselló, the former county straddling the Pyrenees. The village is SE of Perpignan and now in the French half.We are most grateful to Sra. Gloria López, Head of the Reference Department at the Archives of the Crown of Aragon, Barcelona, for her help with this note.(Transcription)1 EL REY2 Magnifico amado nuestro: Aqui se han visto las informaciones que vos nos aveys3 embiados y las que nuestro lugarteniente general nos remitio sobre lo que passo con Domin-4 go Alenyá ministro desse officio y conforme à lo que dellas resulta le avemos5 mandado scrivir lo que conviene. Y pues se entiende que de vuestra parte teneys6 la quenta que se deve con el dicho nuestro lugarteniente general os encargamos que lo7 continueys y hagays assi como de vos se confia y lo aveys acostumbrado8 que en ello seremos servido Dato en Lisboa a ii de9 Enero De M. D Lxxxij10 [Signed] Yo el Rey11 [Countersigned] V[is]t[o] Comes, [...] Talayero locumtenens protonotarii generalis V[is]t[o] Sopena R[egens]12 V[is]t[o] Campi R[egens] V[is]t[o] Terça R[egens][Address on verso]13 Amado nuestro Miguel14 Regente el officio de la15 real de nuestro Reyno16 cancillería. [In Portugese in another hand]17 de 2 de Janeir 158218 pelo negocio de Domingo19 Ala[...] notario [?](Translation)THE KING Our beloved Magnifico: We have examined here the information you sent us and that which our Lieutenant General remitted concerning Domingo Alenyá the minister in your office and accordingly we have commanded the Lieutenant General to write appropriately. And since it is understood that, for your part, you are keeping in touch as necessary with our said Lieutenant General we charge you to continue to do so and act as has been entrusted to you and as you are accustomed, with which We shall be well served.Given at Lisbon, the 2nd January 1582.[Countersigned] Seen, Comes, Treasurer General Talayero, Lieutenant General of the Protonotary Seen, Sopena, Regent Seen, Campi, Regent Seen, Terça, Regent[Address on verso]Our beloved Miguel, Regent of the Office of the Royal Chancellery of our Kingdom.[In Portugese in another hand]2nd January 1582 on the matter of [notary?] Domingo Alañ[...] (sic.)