Ok if we're talking about ships I got to know: what are your thoughts on porteng? I know that Portugal is present only in the manga but the relationship between the two has so much fluff potential... And also, your analysis makes every ship 100 times more shipable than it already was 😂 I'd never seriously considered Russia x England until now! Much love 💕💕💕
(me, doing a happy dance around my room because somebody brought up PortEng)
I’m holding myself back with all I’ve got because I’ll end up turning this ask into a fanfic about these two before I know it.
There is one historical even I can’t help but mention though and that’s because I believe it played a huge role in what their relationship looked like later on. Namely how they met.
First of all let me just say I don’t headcanon Portugal as older than England. To me he’s either some four hundred years younger (born sometime around the establishment of the County of Portugal) or a scenario I prefer where they’re roughly the same age. The latter is possible if we assume Portugal used to be the representative of the Kingdom of the Suebi established in the first decade of the 5th century.
But let’s leave it at that.
Now fast-forward to the Second Crusade and the year 1147. The Reconquista is in full swing and Afonso I of Portugal convinces the crusaders (who were forced to make a stop on the Iberian peninsula because of bad weather) to help him take Lisbon.
And somewhere among those crusaders, for some reason is Arthur. I like to think that’s how the two met – comparatively early on in their development, just two lanky preteens who are making their way through life. They hit it off right away.
It’s the moment when Arthur most needs a friend. He’s still hurting from the Norman conquest of 1066 and very bitter about it but then there’s this sunny boy, charismatic and around his age who welcomes him with open arms and actually decides to rely on his people. England loves being relied on and this is probably the first time another country greets him with something other than hostility, if we exclude his early interactions with France (because that relationship is somewhere down the drain for the time being).
The siege of Lisbon is a success, an English monk is elected as bishop in Portugal and the foundations for the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance are laid. During England’s stay in Portugal, the two boys become inseparable.
From that point on their relationship blooms. It’s especially cherished by Arthur because Portugal is the first time he feels he can really trust and is actually welcomed. He appeared when Arthur was in a dark place and their natural compatibility meant that Arthur didn’t have to strain his somewhat limited social skills.
Their meeting was also memorable for Portugal – he immediately took an interest in the pale blond boy, carrying Germanic culture and stories from the north. Shy at first but talkative when you got him going and easily keeping up. Not to mention that he stood by his side when he reconquered his future capital.
As for their personalities, they add up to make an adorable balanced couple. Where England is tense, Portugal is easy-going. Where Portugal is listless, England is active. There’s one’s optimism versus the other’s realism, one’s friendliness versus the other’s reserve. The fact that they match so smoothly gives them little reason to argue and they develop this warm atmosphere of slow comfort, easy trust and fond devotion.
When they do argue Arthur can be sure that his temper, which he often laments he can’t control, will be met with soft words and understanding. Meanwhile England has Portugal’s back when he falls into one of his melancholic episodes – yearning for the past and getting tangled up in the mistakes he believes he made. In those cases Arthur literally nurses him back to his usual cheer. That’s one way that they’ve preserved this dynamic of Portugal relying on him and Arthur being immensely happy that he can be helpful and needed. His motherly instincts will often come out around the other.
And even when history has prevented them from being together (like the time of the Iberian union) they could both be sure that the other will be waiting. That sense of security and something long-lasting is extremely precious to them as nations. A firm stone in the flow of time.
It’s a relationship that can’t be questioned. Even when Arthur has his usual doubts or Portugal feels that his partner can and should move on, they forget all about those thoughts when they see each other.
They feel at home in each other’s presence and that’s not something that can be disputed.
They’re both romantic but in subtly different ways. Arthur expresses his love in words – poetry, prose, ballads, all of which Portugal adores. Portugal himself is more physical. He conveys his love while he teaches Arthur to dance (nobody is surprised when his favorite dance turns out to be the fandango. There’s tap dancing involved after all.)
In general Portugal teaches Arthur to be more physical and to be more comfortable with physicality. In reality Arthur only ever opens himself to that kind of contact with Portugal.
They love finding things they have in common as well – an infatuation with the sea, an affinity for mischief (that they used to drive France up the wall during the Napoleonic wars) and a passion for exploration. They can be up all night swapping stories of uncharted corners of the world.
A favored drink among Portuguese nobility at the time, tea was popularized in England by the queen consort Catherine of Braganza in the late 17th century. And every time Arthur makes himself a cup, no matter where he is in the world, he can think of Portugal. Two things he loves entangled in one brew.
PortEng is amazing tbh, so many of their historical interactions can be turned into tooth-rotting fluff. All the times Portugal has teetered on the edge of danger for England’s sake and all the time England has done good by their alliance. I adore it.
Thank you so much for asking anon! I had tons of fun answering this. And thank you for your kind words, it makes me so happy to hear people are enjoying my stuff! Much love from me as well!
