D Afonso Henriques

The Kingdom of "Portugal"

"Afonso Henriques" defined his action in too fronts:

The figth for the independence.
To go on whith de reconquist.

For the first he was envolved with figths at the north with his cousin "D. Afonso VII", Kings of " Leão and Castela", whith the purpose of oblige himself to give him the independence.

In 1140, "D. Afonso Henriques" signed the first document as King of "Portugal" and in 1143 "Afonso VII" recognize "Portugal" as na independent country and "D. Afonso Henriques" as King of "Portugal" – "Tratado de Zamora".

In 1179, the Pope recognize "Portugal" as an independent state by the "Bula Manifestis Probatum"

For the second , "D. Afonso Henriques" engoged same battles in the shout of the "Tejo", contradicting the agreeded whit the King of "Leão and Castela" So, he reconquered many lards in the south, this task will go one by his descendants and it was ended in the XIII century by "D.Afonso III" who reconquered definitively "Algarve"

Formation of the Shire

The Portucalense "Shire" was doneted by "D. Afonso VI" King of "Leão and Castela", to the french horseman "D. Henrique de Borgonha". The shire was donated by the King in thanks for the good services rended by this crusader during the fights of the reconquest.

"D. Afonso VI" gave her bastard daughter in marige to "D. Henrique".

The "Portucalense" shire extended from river "Minho" to river "Mondego"and the count "D. Henrique" had as task to reconquer the lands up to river "Tejo".

From this marige was born a son, "D. Afonso Henriques". After the dead of her father "D. Teresa" took over the command of the Shire and she was influencied by the "Galegos". The "Portucalense" nobility unpleased with this situation stived up the young "D. Afonso Henriques" to riot against is mather.

In Guimarães, the tourist will find in one of the towers of the ancient city wall a saying "Aqui Nasceu Portugal" (Portugal was born here). This saying refers to the events that happened here, which led to the foundation of Portuguese Nationality. These events stopped when in the 24th of July of 1128 occured the Battle of S. Mamrde in which D. Afonso Henriques defeated his mother’s troups supported by the King of Lyon and Castle and became the 1º King of Portugal.