As at the very beginning the queen was in agreement with the King of Castile, she gave him to understand that he could easily seize and possess every town in the country because the leading figures in the kingdom were relatives of hers or of his wife; furthermore, everybody else who held towns and castles was under an obligation to her on the grounds of having belonged to her household or having received her favours. She added that, though there were a number of miscreants who had declared against him by indicating that they wished to oppose him, he should not trouble himself about the craziness of such men, for they were fools in pursuit of foolish notions based on vain hopes.

Moreover, she would write to her brother, Count Gonçalo, and to her uncle, Gonçalo Mendes de Vasconcelos, both of whom were in Coimbra, which was one of the main cities in the land; they would declare their allegiance to him and would hand the city over to him, even though they had not gone out to greet him when he had passed that way. If necessary, she would accompany him there as she would to the other townships, whensoever they were hesitating about handing themselves over to him.

Prior to this, according to what we have found in a document, Count Gonçalo had gone to Oporto to attend a memorial ceremony for King Fernando; the queen had written to him, requesting him to go to Coimbra, and had written to its honourable citizens, urging them to welcome and treat him with all due honour. He then went to Coimbra, accompanied by 100 lances. Occupying the castle and pleased at his arrival was its governor Gonçalo Mendes, uncle to the count and to the queen. It is said that, once the count had taken up lodging in the city, his uncle made him a promise that he would not hand over the castle, nor should the count hand over the city to anybody, without their mutual agreement. That, therefore, was the situation in Coimbra.

After the count's arrival he was joined there by João Rodrigues Pereira, João Gomes da Silva, Álvaro Gonçalves Camelo (who later became Prior of the Hospitallers), Nuno Viegas, Nuno Fernandes de Mariz, Nuno Fernandes de Penacova, Pero Gomes de Seabra, Martim Correia and others.