How did Portugal become a country? – Battle of Ourique, 1139 AD
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The Battle of Ourique is a defining moment in the history of Portugal, as it was here that Afonso Henriques was on July 25, 1139, proclaimed the first King of Portugal by his troops after defeating the Moorish army. The significance of the battle of Ourique cannot be overstated for it secured the founding of the Kingdom of Portugal.
The five blue shields at the very centre of the flag of Portugal represent the five Moorish kings that were defeated by Portugal’s first King Afonso Henriques in the battle of Ourique 1139. The white central shield is the personal armor of this same King and was said to have been given to him in a vision of the crucified Christ on the eve of battle.
Narrated by David McCallion
Music:
EpidemicSound
Filmstro
Sources:
The Reconquest Kings of Portugal: Political and Cultural Reorientation on the Medieval Frontier – Stephen Lay (2008)
Between Silences: The Coronation of Portuguese Medieval Kings (12th–14th Centuries) – Carla Varela Fernandes (2020)
The Teaching of military history at Portuguese universities: Pride and Prejudice – João Gouveia Monteiro (2021)
The History of Medieval Portugal in the Deducao cronologica analitica – Filipe Alves Moreira (2022)
The Kingdom of León-Castilla under King Alfonso VII, 1126–1157 – Bernard F. Reilly (1998)
Between God and the King: The world of military orders – Isabel Cristina Ferreira Fernandes (2018)
A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire, volume I, Cambridge University Press – Anthony Disney (2009)
The Reconquista and Its Legacy, 1000-1348 – António Henriques (2017)
Fantastic Stories of the History of Portugal – João Ferreira (2010)
Correction:
10:48 The location of the battle is heavily debated. Contemporary sources said that they do not know where the battle took place, only that it took place on “fields near Ourique”.
But today many historians argue that Alfonso couldn’t lead a full military campaign in Alentejo with his limited resources, so deep in Muslim territory (he was only a count with a small realm). A more plausible location is suggested near Vila Chã de Ourique, which was closer to Portugal’s traditional lands. Nevertheless, historians are divided between Ourique in Alentejo and Vila Chã de Ourique further north – my opinion is that Vila Chã de Ourique is much more plausible.
#crusade #medieval #history
Victory against the odds
Play Heroes of History for free: https://bit.ly/43EOiCA
The location of the battle is heavily debated. Contemporary sources said that they do not know where the battle took place, only that it took place on "fields near Ourique".
But today many historians argue that Alfonso couldn't lead a full military campaign in Alentejo with his limited resources, so deep in Muslim territory (he was only a count with a small realm). A more plausible location is suggested near Vila Chã de Ourique, which was closer to Portugal's traditional lands. Nevertheless, historians are divided between Ourique in Alentejo and Vila Chã de Ourique further north – my opinion is that Vila Chã de Ourique is much more plausible.
Spetacular!
The King was not Alfonso, it's Afonso, Afonso Henriques! The first king to crownd himself.
How does ANYONE become a country?
…
Step 1: Declare yourself a country.
Step 2: Some of the other countries will then say "Yeah I agree, you're a country."
Step 3: Many of the other countries will say "I disagree, you're not a country! And here we come to do something about it!"
Step 4: Many of the other countries send their army to do something about it.
Step 5: Keep fighting and fighting and fighting until the countries who tried to do something about it say "Yeah ok fine you are a country!"