Restoration of Independence is a public holiday in Portugal on December 1 each year. The holiday commemorates the restoration of Portuguese independence from Spain in December 1640.
Portugal King Dom Sebastião and many males of the Portuguese royal family died in an attack on Morocco in 1578, which resulted in the royal succession crisis. After Sebastião's death, his great-uncle became the king, but he died 2 years after in 1580. Spanish King Philip II invaded Portugal immediately and became King Philip I of Portugal.
After Philip I's death, two subsequent kings, Philip II and Philip III ruled Portugal, but Philip III had a different approach to Portugal. He raised the tax on Portuguese merchants and tried to make Portugal a Spanish province. The situation resulted in the Portuguese Restoration War, which began on December 1, 1640, sixty years after the crowning of Philip I.
The Portuguese Restoration War was a 28-year War between Portugal and Spain from 1640 to 1668, with a Portuguese victory.
The following is the list of Restoration of Independence in Portugal from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Restoration of Independence | Dec 01, 2022 | Thursday |
| Restoration of Independence | Dec 01, 2023 | Friday |
| Restoration of Independence | Dec 01, 2024 | Sunday |
| Restoration of Independence | Dec 01, 2025 | Monday |
| Restoration of Independence | Dec 01, 2026 | Tuesday |
Please check more public holidays in Portugal: