Portuguese War of Independence

Timeline

1. 1131–1135Guimarães and Coimbra · PortugalAfter defeating his mother Teresa at the Battle of São Mamede in 1128, Afonso Henriques further cleared Galician influence from Portugal in the early 1130s, establishing control over the northern heartland. He refused to recognize the imperial suzerainty of Alfonso VII, conducting internal and external affairs as an independent ruler.
2. 1135–1140Douro and Tâmega border · PortugalAfter his imperial coronation, Alfonso VII attempted to reassert suzerainty over Portugal, and border conflicts broke out. Afonso Henriques, with the support of local nobles and military superiority, held his independence and gradually extended his sphere of influence south of the Douro River, laying the foundation for his later assumption of the royal title.
3. 1136–1140Southern Portuguese frontier · PortugalWhile consolidating independence in the north, Afonso Henriques pushed south in the Reconquista, capturing Muslim strongholds such as Leiria and Santarém, extending Portuguese power south of the Tagus. Military victories both expanded territory and won the independent regime legitimacy and support from the Church and nobility.