In August 1578, King Sebastian I of Portugal led a disastrous crusade into Morocco, culminating in the Battle of Alc%c3%a1cer Quibir. The young king was killed, but because his body was never conclusively identified by his subjects, a myth took root: Sebastianism, the belief that the beloved monarch would one day return from the mist to save Portugal. This political mess created the perfect vacuum when Philip II of Spain claimed the Portuguese crown in 1580.
Over the next two decades, at least four major impostors stepped forward claiming to be the lost king. The first was the 'King of Penamacor' in 1584, a potter's son who gathered a following before being sentenced to the galleys. Soon after came Mateus Alves, the 'King of Ericeira,' who was executed for treason.
The most famous pretender was Gabriel de Espinosa, a pastry chef in Spain who convinced high-ranking clergy and nobles of his royal heritage before meeting his end at the gallows in 1595. Finally, in 1598, an Italian named Marco Tullio Catizone appeared in Venice, speaking no Portuguese yet amassing widespread support until his eventual execution by Spanish authorities. These false Sebastians demonstrated how desperate a conquered nation was for a messianic savior.