6 December 1185 Death of Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso was born as the son of Henry of Burgundy and Teresa, the illegitimate
daughter of King Alfonso VI of LeĆ³n and Castile. He belonged thus to the
royal Portuguese House of Burgundy. His place of birth and even his date of
birth were disputed.
Duty: a raise to power
Henry, Count of Portugal and Teresa reigned jointly until his death on
22 May 1112. Afterwards Teresa ruled Portugal alone. She even would
proclaim herself queen but she was captured and forced to reaffirm her
vassalage to her half-sister Urraca of LeĆ³n.
In an effort to pursue a larger share in the Leonese inheritance, his mother
Teresa joined forces with Fernando PĆ©rez de Trava, the most powerful
count in Galicia. The Portuguese nobility disliked the alliance between
Galicia and Portugal and rallied around Afonso.
In 1122 Afonso turned fourteen, this was the adult age in the 12th century.
In symmetry with his cousin, he made himself a knight on his own account
in the Cathedral of Zamora in 1125.
After the military campaign of Afonso VII against his mother in 1127,
Afonso revolted against her and proceeded to take control of the county
from its queen.
In 1128 at the Battle of SĆ£o Mamede, Afonso and his supporters overcame
troops under both his mother and her lover, Count Fernando Peres de Trava
of Galicia. Afonso exiled his mother to Galicia and took over rule of the
County of Portucale.
After Teresa's death in 1131, Afonso VII of LeĆ³n and Castille proceeded
to demand vassalage from his cousin.
On 6 april 1129, Afonso Henriques proclaimed himself Prince of Portugal
or Prince of the Portuguese.
Then, Afonso turned his arms against the Moors in the south. His campaigns
were very successful and on 25 July 1139 he obtained an overwhelming
victory in the Battle of Ourique. He was proclaimed King of the Portuguese
by his soldiers.
In Portugal he built several monasteries and convents and bestowed important
privileges to religious orders. He also conquered a part of the land south the
Tagus River.
Meanwhile, King Alfonso VII of LĆ©on regarded his cousin and the
independent ruler of Portugal as nothing but a rebel. The conflict between the
two was constant and bitter in the following years.
Finally after winning the Battle of Valdevez, the Treaty of Zamora of 1143
established peace between the cousins and the recognition by the
Kingdom of LeĆ³n that Portugal was a fully independent kingdom.
In 1184, the Almohad caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf rallied a great Almohad force
to retaliate against the Portuguese raids and besieged SantarƩm. The Almohad
siege failed and their retreat turned into a rout due to panic in their camp.
Love and marriage
In 1146, Afonso married Mafalda, the daughter of Amadeus III, Count
of Savoy and Mahaut of Albon. They would have 7 children.
Afonso had other natural children.
Death
Afonso died suddenly on 6 December 1185 in Coimbra, Portugal.
He was buried at the Santa Cruz Monastery at Coimbra and
succeeded by his son Sancho.
Afonso was nicknamed the Conqueror, the Founder or the Great.
Scientific research
In July 2006, the tomb of the King was opened for scientific purposes
by researchers of the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and the
University of Granada (Spain).
The opening of the tomb provoked considerable concern among some
sectors of the Poruguese society.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
daughter of King Alfonso VI of LeĆ³n and Castile. He belonged thus to the
royal Portuguese House of Burgundy. His place of birth and even his date of
birth were disputed.
Duty: a raise to power
Henry, Count of Portugal and Teresa reigned jointly until his death on
22 May 1112. Afterwards Teresa ruled Portugal alone. She even would
proclaim herself queen but she was captured and forced to reaffirm her
vassalage to her half-sister Urraca of LeĆ³n.
In an effort to pursue a larger share in the Leonese inheritance, his mother
Teresa joined forces with Fernando PĆ©rez de Trava, the most powerful
count in Galicia. The Portuguese nobility disliked the alliance between
Galicia and Portugal and rallied around Afonso.
In 1122 Afonso turned fourteen, this was the adult age in the 12th century.
In symmetry with his cousin, he made himself a knight on his own account
in the Cathedral of Zamora in 1125.
After the military campaign of Afonso VII against his mother in 1127,
Afonso revolted against her and proceeded to take control of the county
from its queen.
In 1128 at the Battle of SĆ£o Mamede, Afonso and his supporters overcame
troops under both his mother and her lover, Count Fernando Peres de Trava
of Galicia. Afonso exiled his mother to Galicia and took over rule of the
County of Portucale.
After Teresa's death in 1131, Afonso VII of LeĆ³n and Castille proceeded
to demand vassalage from his cousin.
On 6 april 1129, Afonso Henriques proclaimed himself Prince of Portugal
or Prince of the Portuguese.
Then, Afonso turned his arms against the Moors in the south. His campaigns
were very successful and on 25 July 1139 he obtained an overwhelming
victory in the Battle of Ourique. He was proclaimed King of the Portuguese
by his soldiers.
In Portugal he built several monasteries and convents and bestowed important
privileges to religious orders. He also conquered a part of the land south the
Tagus River.
Meanwhile, King Alfonso VII of LĆ©on regarded his cousin and the
independent ruler of Portugal as nothing but a rebel. The conflict between the
two was constant and bitter in the following years.
Finally after winning the Battle of Valdevez, the Treaty of Zamora of 1143
established peace between the cousins and the recognition by the
Kingdom of LeĆ³n that Portugal was a fully independent kingdom.
In 1184, the Almohad caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf rallied a great Almohad force
to retaliate against the Portuguese raids and besieged SantarƩm. The Almohad
siege failed and their retreat turned into a rout due to panic in their camp.
Love and marriage
In 1146, Afonso married Mafalda, the daughter of Amadeus III, Count
of Savoy and Mahaut of Albon. They would have 7 children.
Afonso had other natural children.
Death
Afonso died suddenly on 6 December 1185 in Coimbra, Portugal.
He was buried at the Santa Cruz Monastery at Coimbra and
succeeded by his son Sancho.
Afonso was nicknamed the Conqueror, the Founder or the Great.
Scientific research
In July 2006, the tomb of the King was opened for scientific purposes
by researchers of the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and the
University of Granada (Spain).
The opening of the tomb provoked considerable concern among some
sectors of the Poruguese society.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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