County of Portugal

The Comté of Portugal ( Condado Portucalense or Condado de Portucale ) was a state of the Early middle ages including/understanding part of the current Portugal.

In fact, there was, on the current territory of Portugal two Condados Portucalenses distinct:

a first county, (sometimes distinguished from the second by the term Condado de Portucale ), 868 - 1071 , annexed by the Kingdom of Galicia, which included/understood approximately the current area Douro litoral
the second ( Condado Portucalense ), 1095 - 1139 , which became the Kingdom of Portugal.

It should be noted that if the territory were called Comté, the chiefs of this last intulaient alternatively Comite (Count), Dux (Duc) or Princeps (Prince).

Origins of the town of Portucale (Oporto)

Since the IXe century was called Portucale ( Portus fixes or Oporto de Cale ) the city located at the mouth of the river Douro. Portucale would come from the junction of two words, a Latin , portus meaning port, the other Greek, καλός, meaning beautiful. It has been for this time that the expression will terra portucalense or província portucalense is used to indicate the territory delimited in north by the will terra bracarense and in the south by the river Vouga, and having like capital the town of Portucale. The banks of the estuary of the Douro was populated during the Roman epoch, even one does not know exactly the site of these settlements. Several centuries later, the parish suève of São Martinho de Dume (study of Pierre David, following its identification by Prof Avelino of Jesus da Costa) there referred: Portucale castrum antiquum, for the village located on left bank, and Portucale castrum novum for that located on that of right-hand side. Before the creation of the county, Portucale was the seat various events:

457 : imprisonment of the king Suève Requiário I during the invasion of the Visigoth Teodorico II.
Revolt of its Agiulfo governor. He claimed with the throne and was carried out.
585 : Andeca, last king suève, was overcome by the Visigoth Leovigildo.
Life century : Foundation of évéché Portucalense.

It is located in the province of Galicia, and had as bishop the bishop of Braga

Moslem Conquête of Hispanie
868 : Reconquest of Portucale by the Christian Vímara Fathers. (see Reconquista)

The first county is founded and at its head Vímara Peres was named.

The first county: 868 - 1071

History

1. Current limits of Portugal
2. Limits of the évéchés
3. Seats of the archevéchés
4. Seats of the évéchés
5. Principal centers laïcs
6. Bourgs
7. Boroughs ecclésiastiques
8. New villages
9. New Cities]] Even if he enjoyed a certain autonomy, this first county remained dependence of the Royaume of León or the Royaume of Galicia. Portucale was re-occupied, rebuilt and undoubtedly strengthened. One period started thrives for it. It was the starting point of an administrative reorganization, and in certain cases of a repopulation. Its sphere of influence went beyond the limits of old évéché, (quer ao norte C Rio Ave, quer ao sul C Rio Douro?). One then started to call this territory Terra Portugalense . Little by little the borders of the territory are widened which, in this direction, confined with other territories (Braga, Lamego, Viseu, Terras de Santa Maria and Coimbra). The reconquest also made it possible to restore évéché. by having the bishops of Portucale installed in a small population called Magneto (who them specialists make correspond with current the Meinedo, in the municipality of Lousada)?).

871 : Reconquest of the town of Coimbra.
878 : Foundation of the County of Coimbra to the profit of Hermenegildo Mendes.

Its position hinge between Christian and Moslem world made possible one time of peace on the territory ranging between the Douro and the Minho.

Xe : Destruction of the County of Coimbra.

Retreat of the border again in Douro, following the campaigns of Al-Mansour.

997 : Gonçalo Mendes was made call magnus dux portucalensium , to affirm its autonomy.

Second half of the XIe : Reconstitution of the County of Coimbra, which included not only Mondego but also Lamego, Viseu and Feira. The count (also called alvazil or in Spanish alguazíl ) Sesnando Davides was with the head. It was a Mozarabe with the service of Fernando I of León and Castille
1064 : Final conquest of Coimbra by Sesnando Davides.

The Terra Portugalense was repopulated during the reign of Alfonso III of Asturies, under the government will deVímara Peres and its descendants. Nuno Mendes sought to obtain a more important autonomy vis-a-vis García II of Galicia, which had obtained the Royaume of Galicia and Portugal with died of his/her father Fernando I of León and Castille (Fernando Magno).

1071 : Battle of Pedroso.

Nuno Mendes is overcome by García. Annexation of the county by Galicia.

The second county: 1095 - 1139

The ambition of Alphonse VI of Castille was to rebuild the unit of the States of his/her father (see Royaume of León).

1091 : Died of García II of Galicia, prisoner of Alfonso.

At that time, the strength of the incursions Almoravides imposed the reorganization of the defense of the kingdom and the redistribution of the military capacities (see Reconquista). Alfonso VI took the command in the central zone, granted a command (semi-official) to the Cid with Valence, entrusted the third command, in the west with Raimundo of Burgundy, husband of Urraca de León and Castille. This last did not manage to defend effectively the border of the Tage. It lost Lisbon, which had been formerly yielded with Santarém to Kings de León by the Taifa de Badajoz. According to some historians of today, it is one of the reasons for which Alfonso decided to divide into two the zone intialement allotted to Raimundo.

1095 : Alfonso VI allotted the command of the zone most exposed to Henrique of Burgundy.

The stronghold of the County of Portugal is recreated. This county was of an extent larger than the first. It included/understood also old the Comté of Coimbra part of Trás-bone-Assemble and also of the south of the Galicia. Henrique had also married the girl of Alfonso VI, Teresa de León. Many reasons was advanced on the participation Henrique in the plans Alfonso VI. Perhaps to be the nephew of the queen deceased Constancy of Burgundy. Henrique belonged to the line of the Dukes of Burgundy whereas Raimundo belonged to the line of the Counts de Bourgogne. He was also the great nephew of Saint Hugues of Cluny, and it defended the political interests of the Ordre of Cluny.

The political influence of Henrique at the court of the Kingdom of León increased. He hoped to succeed king de León. This hope disappears with dead of the Infant Sancho, when Urraca married Alfonso I of Aragon. The counts or the governors held of the king of broad administrative, legal and military capacities. The objective of Henrique was to acquire a complete autonomy as soon as the moment would be favourable. Henrique encouraged the population growth and the valorization of its field. It granted charters to the cities and founded new cities. One of them was Guimarães; it attracted there many French thanks to privileges. Henrique settled in this city, in a palate inside the Forteresse.

1112 : Died of Henrique. Regency of Teresa de León during the minority of Afonso Henriques.
1121 : Teresa commança to be entitled Queen .

Occurred of important conflicts between it and the top Clergé and especially Fernão Peres of Trava, noble Galician which controlled the districts of Oporto and Coimbra, which hated it. The inhabitants and his son, Afonso Henriques, systematically isolated of the public affairs, revolted.

1125 : Is 14 years old, Afonso Henriques arms itself knight, according to the habit of the kings, becoming thus warlike independent.

1128 : Battle of São Mamede (Guimarães).

Afonso Henriques overcame his/her Teresa mother, and took the control of the county. Wishing to obtain the independence of the County, it started a war against king de León and the king Alfonso VII of Castille.

1139 : Battle of Ourique.

Afonso Henriques overcame the Moors. He declared independence and founded the Royaume of Portugal.

List Counts

House of Vímara Fathers: 868 - 1071

868 - 873 : Vímara Fathers
873 -? : Lucídio Vimaranes, wire of the precedent
? - before 924 : Diogo Fernandes, Lucid husbands of Onega, girl of the precedent
926 : Hermenegildo Gonçalves, also called Mendo Gonçalves, wire of the count Gonçalo of Galicia, husband of Mumadona Dias, girl of the precedents
towards 950 - 999 : Gonçalo Mendes, wire of the precedents
999 - 1008 : Mendo Gonçalves, wire or nephews of the precedent, husband of Tuta
1008 - 1015 : Alvito Nunes, descendant of Vímara Fathers, husband of the countess Tudadomna
1017 - 1028 : Nuno Alvites, wire of the precedent, husband of Ilduara Mendes, girl of Mendo Gonçalves
1028 - 1050 : Mendo Nunes
1050 - 1071 : Nuno Mendes

House of Burgundy: 1095 - 1139

1095 - 1112 : Henrique of Burgundy, Count de Portugal
1112 - 1128 : Teresa de León
1128 - 1139 : Afonso Henriques, which carried the title of Dux (duke)

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