8 – Saint Nuno Alvares Pereira (1360 – 1431)
This Portuguese military leader is the only member of the list to have been canonized. He was recognized as a saint on July 3, 2008 and there is a feast day in his honor on November 6. Also known as The Holy Constable, Pereira allegedly distinguished himself in battle when he was just 13 years of age. In 1373, he joined the military and was involved in the prevention of an invasion from Castile. Pereira later played down his early experience and said it involved nothing more than a few skirmishes.
When King Ferdinand I of Portugal died in 1383, Pereira supported Joao of Aviz’s claim to the throne. On the other side, Ferdinand’s daughter, Beatriz, contested these claims but her marriage to John I of Castile was deemed a grave threat to Portugal’s independence. These fears were well grounded because in 1384, John I invaded the nation but he didn’t realize what he was up against. Pereira’s military talent came to the fore as he helped defeat the enemy Castilians at the Battle of Atoleiros in 1384 and he was named Constable of the Kingdom the following year.
Joao was recognized as King John I of Portugal in 1385 but his coronation triggered yet another attack by Castile. As well as fighting against Northern cities loyal to the enemy, Pereira fed the hungry population of his allies out of his own pocket. Pereira enjoyed arguably his greatest ever victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota on August 14, 1385. He commanded 6,500 volunteers against a 30,000-man Castilian army and lost less than 1,000 troops while his enemy lost over 9,000. This victory confirmed Portugal’s independence and King John reigned until 1433.
Pereira continued to fight against the Castilians until a peace treaty was signed in 1411. The king never forgot Pereira’s courage, loyalty, and military genius. He rewarded his best general with various titles and land. When Pereira’s wife died, he joined the Carmelite Order as a friar in 1423. He became known as Friar Nuno of Saint Mary and lived at the Carmo Convent in Lisbon until his death in 1431. King John visited Pereira in the monastery and considered him as his closest friend. He was beatified in 1918 but he wasn’t formally canonized until 2008 and the public celebration took place in 2009.