Four of the written opinions (pareceres) of April–June 1432, are preserved in Monumenta Henricana, vol. IV: Ferdinand of Arraiolos (p. 99), John of Reguengos (p. 111), Afonso of Barcelos (p. 123) and Afonso of Ourém (p. 129). A summary of the opinions can be found in Russell (2000: Ch.6). The opinion of Peter of Coimbra at this time is unknown, but was probably negative, as can be deduced from his later statements, e.g. see Ruy de Pina's Chronica del Rey D. Duarte, ch. 19
The only primary record of Henry's opinion is his later parecer, dated 1436 (month unknown), and reproduced in Monumenta Henricina, vol. V, p. 201. See the summary in Russell, 2000: pp. 156–158
Ruy de Pina, Chronica d'El Rey D. Duarte, Ch. 10; Russell, 2000: p. 151; Quintella, p. 85, all of whom suggest that Ferdinand's dissatisfaction may have been calculatedly stoked by Henry.
Another ambassador had been sent to Castile to offer it again. See Monumenta Henricina, vol. V, p. 42
The importance of Eleanor's influence is emphasized by Ruy de Pina, Chronica de D. Duarte, ch. 12. However Russell (p. 152) casts some doubts upon it. See also Quintella, p. 85
Henry's will and testament of 7 March 1436 can be found in Monumenta Henricina, vol. V,p. 205. See Russell, p. 168
Pina, Ch. 6, reproduced in Monumenta Henricina, vol. 5, p. 208
Ruy de Pina, p. 67. Frei João Álvares (p. 46) agrees on the total number. See also Quintella, p. 86; Russell, p. 161
Quintella, p. 87; Ruy de Pina's Chronica reproduces the statements of John of Reguengos ch. 17, Afonso of Barcelos ch. 18 and Peter of Coimbra ch. 19. The editors of the Monumenta Henricina cast doubt on their veracity.
Pope Eugenius IV's bull Rex Regnum (September 8, 1436) can be found in Monumenta Henricana, vol. 5, (p. 271)
Copies of the legal reports are found in Monumenta Henricina, vol. 5 – legal opinion received Aug–Sep. 1436 p. 261, another of the same date, p. 266; Pratovecchio's opinion, Oct. 36 p. 285
Rosselli's opinion, Oct. 36 p. 320. For a summary of their content, see Russell, pp. 161–164. While knocking down every one of Henry's arguments, the jurists nonetheless ultimately approved the expedition on a very stretched historical technicality: namely, that the Marinids were in occupation of the ancient Roman province of Mauretania, which rightfully belonged to the Holy Roman Emperor; but as the emperor had not taken any steps to recover it, it was thus "legal" for one of his 'vassals' (the King of Portugal, as the heir of the 5th-century foederati contract of the Visigoths) to do so on his own initiative.
Monumenta Henricina, Vol. V: Henry's request, August 1436 p. 254; Pope Eugenius IV's Romanus Pontifex (Sep 15, 1437), p. 281
Pope Eugenius IV's Romani Pontifis (Nov 1436) recognizing Castile's claim is found in Monumenta Henricina, vol. 5, (p. 346) See also Russell, p. 164
Bull Dominatur dominus (April 30, 1437) is reproduced in Monumenta Henricina, vol. VI,
p. 43
Pina, p. 102; Quintella, p. 90; Russell, p. 178 By contrast, Álvares (pp. 57–59) asserts there were three failed assaults attempted on the city in this early period. See the alternative timeline below. A critique of Álvares is presented in Elbl, pp. 907–1020. For a very long alternative view of the action, see Elbl, 2015, pp. 73 ff.
Pina, (p. 105); Quintella, p. 93. Álvares goes further, suggesting 40,000 horse, 100,000 foot (p. 59). A letter dated October 3 by an anonymous soldier in Ferdinand de Arraiolos' army (reproduced in Monumenta Henricina, vol. 6, p. 208) reports the relief army as 6,000 horse and "innumberable" foot. Oddly, Russell (pp. 180–181) seems to suggest that the Fez strongman Abu Zakariya Yahya al-Wattasi came with this contingent, but almost all sources report him arriving with a later army.
According to Ruy de Pina, (p. 111), Quintella, p. 95. Frei João Álvares, pp. 60–61, reports 96,000 horse, 600,000 foot. Beazley (p. 184) says "100,000 horse; their infantry beyond count".
Álvares, p. 62; also Russell, p. 181. The anonymous soldier's letter reports 3,000 on October 3 (Monumenta Henricina, vol. 6, p. 208), if true, and if the mass desertion of 1,000 happened as the chroniclers reported it, then the camp would be reduced to as few as 2,000. Elbl, 2015, 93–100 emphatically argues against this entire interpretation.
Pina, pp. 124–125. A copy of the treaty of October 17, 1437 is preserved and found in Monumenta Henricina, Vol. VI, p. 211
Álvares's alternative timeline is summarized by the editors of Monumenta Henricina, vol. VI, p. 212. For detailed critique and rejection of this timeline see Elbl, 2015.
On this, Álvares's dating contradicts the October 3rd letter by the anonymous soldier of Arraiolos section, whose timing of the valley fight coincides with Pina's (October 1 to October 3). (see Monumenta Henricina, vol. 6, p. 208). The timing is re-examined, and the action analyzed in a fundamentally different way in Elbl, 2015.
Pina, p. 138; Russell, pp. 187–188. An alternative record of the proceedings of the Cortes are set down in a letter dated February 25, 1438 to Diogo Gomes in Florence, reproduced in Monumenta Henricina, Vol. VI, p. 223
Chroniclers Ruy de Pina (Chr. D. Afonso V, p. 111) and Frei João Álvares (p. 184) date the expedition in late March or early April 1441. However, reviewing other evidence, the 1965 editors of the Monumenta Henricina, vol. 6, p. 176n suggest the expedition was more likely a year earlier, in April 1440.
According to Alvares (p. 347), of Ferdinand's captive entourage of nine household servants, four were ransomed and returned (secretary Frei João Álvares and head cook João Vaz in 1448, chaplain Pêro Vaz and the prince's foster-brother João Rodrigues in 1450), while five remained in Morocco, some as Muslim converts (physician Mestre Martinho, wardrobe master Fernão Gil, harbinger/steward João Lourenço, cup-bearer/butler João de Luna and oven-master Christovão Alemão)
