Lord Holland is often described as a Hispanophile, sometimes even as a Hispanist, yet his relationship with Portugal is less known. A few nineteenth- century Portuguese works include rather vague references to Holland – mostly in connection with his role in opposing absolutism and in re- establishing the constitutional regime in the late 1820s and early 1830s. Later historiography, however, either ignores or seriously underestimates his contribution to developments in Portugal over a much longer time span. The most likely reason for this neglect is that Holland himself kept his interest in Portugal relatively quiet – in contrast with his much- publicized enthusiasm for Spain, a country he described as – ‘mi segunda patria’. Yet Holland's interest in Portugal was actually quite profound. Unlike his sudden, even violent passion for Spain, Holland's affection for Portugal was relatively milder and longer lasting, growing in an unobtrusive way. While Holland's relationship with Portugal begun with apparent disdain, it developed into a true sentiment of ‘love’ and ‘affection’, to quote his own words in a speech to the House of Lords in July 1828. Indeed, while Holland may not qualify as a ‘Lusophile’, he was certainly a friend of Portugal, even if this long- lasting relationship is sometimes difficult to trace.

Lord Holland's initial – and indirect – encounter with Portugal probably occurred during his first visit to Spain in 1793. Fascinated with the character and costumes of the Spaniards, who ‘gave such a warm reception to a 19 years old boy’, Holland dedicated himself to the study of the language, literature and history of their country. The dismissive tone in Holland's Foreign Reminiscences – ‘I know little of Portugal or Portuguese that would have the interest of novelty to English readers’ – suggests contamination with a widely held Spanish prejudice. Holland's negative opinion also appears when, in a letter to Manuel Quintana, a Spanish author he met in Madrid in 1803, he describes the Portuguese language as a ‘patois’.