The “Sebastianism ”, “Sebastic Myth ” or “Myth of the Covered up ” was a messianic myth that emerged in the mid-16th century in Portugal, which became known for referring to the curious disappearance of King Dom Sebastião (1554-1578).
In this case, a secular myth was created and full of mysticism around his figure, so that many people believed that Dom Sebastião, called “The Desire”, had not died, when he disappeared in North Africa in the Battle of Alcácer. -Quibir, in 1578.
One of the facts for the emergence of the myth is due to the death of him and his uncle, King Dom Henrique, since there was no heir who could occupy the Portuguese throne. For that, the population of Portugal created the myth that Dom Sebastião would still be alive and waiting for the right moment to defeat the Spaniards, who had taken the throne, occupied at that moment, by King Filipe II, of Spain. The emergence of sebastianism outlines the hope that nourished the Portuguese people for a long time, in the belief of the future.
Abstract
The “Battle of Alcácer-Quibir” or the “Battle of the Three Kings”, which took place on August 4, 1578, broke out in North Africa (Morocco region), fought between the Portuguese, led by King Dom Sebastião, and allied to the army. led by Sultan Mulay Mohammed, and, on the other hand, the Moroccans, led by Sultan Mulei Molucca. The result of the battle was the defeat of the Portuguese, as well as the beginning of the loss of national independence to Spain, which led to the creation of the myth of Sebastianism.
From this, it is curious to note that with the mysterious “disappearance” of the King, the Portuguese throne was occupied by King Felipe II of the House of Habsburg, which gave rise to “alleged” figures who claimed to be King Sebastian. The proclaimed new king of Portugal left many Portuguese discontented and dissatisfied with the current political situation, that is, the inexistence of a successor to the king to occupy the throne, further sharpening patriotism and nationalist sentiment, translated into the belief and enormous expectation of “salvation”, that is, that one day he would return and take the Portuguese out of the hands of the enemies, which led him to be compared, for a long time, as the “savior of the Fatherland”.
It was not yet declared when Dom Sebastião was killed alongside his allies, which reinforced, for almost a century, the myth of his existence, which lost strength in the Portuguese mentality, in 1640, with the Coup d'Etat for the Restoration of Independence. , which resulted in the end of the dualist monarchy of the Philippine Dynasty, which began in 1580. Dom Sebastião's tomb is located in the Jerónimos Monastery, in Lisbon, Portugal.
Read more about Messianism.