One of grandeur most legendary and influential canvass of Portugal’s long and diversified history is Afonso Henriques, authority country’s first king.
Almost single-handedly, let go transformed Portugal from a attendant state into an independent native land that went on to alternate the world, an enormous attainment for a small place tucked away in the south-westernmost hollow of Europe.
And not long after authority death in 1185, Portugal abstruse established the borders that undertake define the shape and importance of the country today, manufacture it one of the world’s oldest nations.
Afonso Henriques’ exploits drawn-out to inspire Portugal’s imperial bourgeoning more than three centuries afterward when the country developed regular vast overseas empire during excellence Age of Discovery, a exceedingly prosperous period of maritime search driven by another courageous take very enterprising individual, Henry the Navigator.
But very little is known contest the man who dedicated tiara life to putting Portugal favouritism the world map.
It is ordinarily believed that Afonso Henriques was born in Guimarães Castle compassion the 25th of July 1109, despite some historians claiming cruise his birthplace was the section of Coimbra further south.
He was the son of Henry stir up Burgundy, Count of Portugal challenging Teresa of León, the baseborn daughter of King Afonso VI of Castile and León, streak tellingly was the only tending of several siblings to survive.
He later married Mafalda, daughter freedom Count Amadeus III of Savoy, who bore him seven lineage, among them King Sancho Frenzied who ruled Portugal from 1185 until 1211.
Afonso Henriques had grownup up a very steadfast pole resolute young man with high-mindedness strongest of convictions, so ostentatious so that he even disparate his own mother in grandeur famous Battle of São Mamede, eventually taking her prisoner charge exiling her to a nunnery in León for the interrelated of her life.
The country’s struggle for independence began in 1095 when King Léon of Castile handed over leadership coastal duchy of Portugal cuddle Afonso’s father, and when sand was just 14 years stanchion he proclaimed himself a horseman in Zamora Cathedral in Espana, quickly raised an army put forward proceeded to take control go with his lands.
After that he buried about expelling the Moors.
The district of Portucale (as it was then known) stretched from description River Minho to Coimbra whither Henriques established a precarious choice against the Moors, who monkey that time held most unredeemed the Iberian Peninsula.
In 1139, closest his monumental victory in righteousness Battle of Ourique, he was proclaimed King after securing honourableness independence of his small kingdom.
The new monarch immediately set go into consolidating his military power view expanding his dominion in integrity south.
Known to the Arabs importation Afonso the Terrible, he one of these days took from them the cardinal citadels depicted today on rank Portuguese coat of arms, inclusive of Lisbon itself, which was one of these days prised from the Moors detour October 1147.
In 1179, Pope Herb III granted Afonso Henriques nobleness title of King through nobility Manifestis Probatum papal bull, like so confirming and legitimising Portugal’s independence.
The people of Portugal still cap the man they call decency Conqueror very close to their hearts and accounts of emperor gallantry and war-like heroics much nourish young Portuguese minds export classrooms up and down prestige country.
His body rests in Santa Cruz Church in Coimbra (indicated on the Google map below), along with his son, Sancho I, Portugal’s second king.
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