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Afonso Henriques I

Type Figure Region Kingdom of Portugal Time c. 1109–1185 Also known as the Conqueror

First king of Portugal (r. 1139–1185), "the Conqueror"; he won independence from León, took Lisbon in 1147, and gained papal recognition.

Timeline

  1. c. 1109–1128Guimarães · County of PortugalAfonso was the son of Henry, Count of Burgundy, and Teresa, illegitimate daughter of Alfonso VI of León, and was born around 1109. After Henry's death in 1112 his mother ruled as regent, allied with the Galician noble Fernão Peres de Trava; as he came of age Afonso clashed with her pro-Muslim policy and gathered support to seize power.
  2. 1128–1143Coimbra · County of PortugalAt the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 Afonso defeated his mother Teresa and her Galician allies, becoming effective ruler of the County of Portugal. In 1139 he routed the Almoravids at Ourique and at once took the title of king. He then moved the capital to Coimbra, pressed the Reconquista southward, and opened diplomatic talks with León-Castile for recognition.
  3. 1143–1185Lisbon · Kingdom of PortugalAfter the Treaty of Zamora in 1143, León-Castile formally recognized his royal title. In 1147, with the help of a northern European crusader fleet, he captured Lisbon and moved his capital south. He continued expanding southward, taking Setúbal, Évora, and other places. In 1179 Pope Alexander III issued the bull Manifestis Probatum, formally recognizing Portugal as a vassal kingdom of the Roman Church. He died at Coimbra on 6 December 1185 after more than forty years on the throne.

Sources