Since King Fernando's passing had been marked very simply, and he was not paid the funeral rites that were his due, Queen Leonor ordered all the great lords and noblemen of the realm to attend the month's mind, so that it could be carried out in the most honourable manner possible. Indeed, it was performed with all due ceremony, as befitted the king's rank, although some people, such as Count Gonçalo, Gonçalo Vasques de Azevedo and others, made excuses and did not go. The King of Castile, realizing that everyone would be gathered together in Lisbon for this occasion, had letters sent to Queen Leonor, his mother-in-law, and to all the counts, masters [of the military Orders] and knights in Portugal, as well as to certain towns and cities in the kingdom.

He sent as his ambassador a knight of the Order of Santiago, a native of Salamanca, called Alfonso López de Tejada, to deliver the letters. He arrived in Lisbon and presented them to the queen and the other people to whom they were addressed. The letters stated that they were well aware that his wife, Queen Beatriz, daughter of King Fernando, was the heiress to the kingdom of Portugal, as her father had died without leaving another legitimate child who could inherit by right, and for that reason he, the King of Castile, would be king and liege lord of the realm, as he was her husband. Therefore, he asked them to kindly abide by what they ought to do in this matter, as good and loyal vassals, accepting Queen Beatriz as their queen and liege lady, and himself as their king and liege lord. Furthermore, if they did so, they would be doing what they were bound to do and faithfully fulfilling their duty. For this reason, he and his wife, the queen, would always be obliged to grant them many favours. In addition, he gave them many good reasons which he thought would persuade them to do what he said.

The reply he received from them all was that they were happy to have his wife, Queen Beatriz, the daughter of King Fernando, as their queen and liege lady, and that they were willing to uphold and abide by the treaties which had been made between the King of Castile and King Fernando concerning this matter. With this reply, Alfonso López returned to the king.