António de São José de Castro

António de São José de Castro (1741 — 1814) was a Bishop of Porto, Patriarch of Lisbon, and Governor of Portugal during the Transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil following Napoleon's Invasion of Portugal.

Peninsular War

When news of the Dos de Mayo Uprising in Spain reached Porto on 6 June 1808, the Spanish General Belesta, then commander of the garrison of 6,000 Spanish troops, arrested the French governor, General of Division Quesnel, together with his 75-man escort and, after proclaiming the independence of Portugal, marched his Division, together with his prisoners, back north to Galicia to join the Spanish forces fighting the French in Spain.

Although the neighbouring towns and districts had already risen against the French, between the 9th and 12 June,

When Wellesley landed at Porto to interview the Bishop and the Supreme Junta, they had only been able to arm 5,000 infantry and 300 cavalry, under the command of Bernardim Freire de Andrade at Coimbra, and 1,500 men more for the garrison at Porto. as part of the troops under General Arthur Wellesley (who later became the Duke of Wellington).

Although the bishop was advised on military matters by the two envoys sent him by the British government, Friedrich von der Decken and Baron Eben, he chose to ignore their advice as well as that of the Portuguese generals in his district. and which would eventually lead King George III to set up a Court of Inquiry, in November 1808.