The Battle of St. Mamade (Batalha de São Mamade in Portuguese) in June 24, 1128 is the date seen has the foundation of Portugal. It took place near Guimarães. The Portuguese forces led by Afonso I beat his mother D. Teresa and Ferdinand Perez de Trava. After this battle, the future king calls himself "Prince of Portugal", the first step towards "official independence" in 1143. June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... Events Pope Honorius II recognizes and confirms the Order of the Knights Templar. ... Guimarães is a city in northwestern Portugal, in the province of Minho, and in Braga district. ... Events Celestine II is elected pope. ...

Background

In late 11th century, a knight from Burgundy, named Henry descendant from the king of France Robert II, was in search of adventures in Hispania and he fights the Moors along with Alfonso VI of Leon. In honour to his fights in Hispania, the King gave to him the county of Portugal, which was reinstalled, it was previously eliminated because of attempts of independence some years earlier; therefore Henry became its count and one of Alfonso's daughter's Theresa his wife. (10th century - 11th century - 12th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic tribes, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... Henry, the cardinal or Henrique (in Portuguese) (January 31, 1512 - January 31, 1580), was the seventeenth King of Portugal between 1578 and 1580. ... Robert II the Pious (French: Robert II le Pieux) (March 27, 972 - July 20, 1031) was King of France from 996 to 1031. ... Hispania was the name given by the Romans to the Iberian Peninsula, and to two of the three provinces they created there: Hispania Baetica and Hispania Tarraconensis (the third being Lusitania). ...

In 1095, the county was a dependency of the Kingdom of Galicia, itself a dependency of Leon. But in 1097, Portugal became a direct dependency of Leon. But since the early years of his rule, Henry wished the independence of the county as he became infected by the wishes of independence of the lords of the county that he freshly ruled.

In 1112, Henry dies, and is wife; Regina Tarasia (Queen Theresa, as she addressed herself) became the ruler of the county of Portugal. She also wished the independence from her sister, the new Queen Urraca after Alfonso's death. Theresa was also ambitious like her husband. For that, she allied herself to her sister's enemies or allied with her sister proper, in an attempt to maintain the autonomy of her county. Events The people of Laon, France, proclaim a commune and murder their bishop Salzwedel, Germany is founded The German state of Baden is founded Afonso I becomes king of Portugal Otto of Ballenstedt is made Duke of Saxony by Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor Births Deaths Tancred, Prince of Galilee...

In 1116, the Portuguese take two Galician cities, Tuy and Ourense. Due to this, her sister the Queen attacked Theresa's dominions. The bishop Gelmeres, friend of a Galician noble that was at service of Theresa, revolts in the camping site of Queen Urraca, and she is obliged to make peace with her sister Theresa. Events Baldwin I of Jerusalem undertakes an invasion of Egypt The modern book of separate pages stitched together is invented in China Construction starts on the Chennkesava temple The Aztecs leave Aztlán searching for the site of what will eventually become Tenochtitlán and later Mexico City Births Deaths... Ourense (Galician official name Ourense; Spanish traditional name Orense) is a town in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Ourense in Galicia. ...

Urraca dies in 1126, and Alfonso VII becomes king of Leon and Castile and demands that Theresa becomes his vassal, she refuses. Thus, the Alfonso VII attacks Portugal in the spring of 1127. Which incremented the power of her son, has see loose the trust of the Leonese king, and her son became the count of Portugal. Theresa became a puppet of the Galician Ferdinand Perez de Trava. The two parties: of Theresa and Prince Afonso became enemies, as both wanted to take control of the county, but only the supporters of Prince Afonso were really interested in full independence.

Nobles of the foundation of Portugal

King Afonso I was not alone in the battle, in fact, he was pressure by the lords of the main Portuguese cities and by the local church and its people to acchieve the independence of the county.

Nobles participating on the battle with King Alfonso I:

• Afonso Nunes de Barbosa (1131)
• D. Paio Soares da Maia (Braga archbishop)
• Egas Moniz de Cresconhe
• Egas Moniz de Ribadouro (1108-1146)
• Ermígio Moniz de Ribadouro (1128-1135)
• Fernão Captivo (Alféres-Mor)
• Garcia Soares
• Godinho Fafes de Lanhoso
• Gonçalo Mendes da Maia (lidador)
• Gonçalo Mendes de Sousa (1154-1167)
• Nuno Soares Velho (1117-1162)
• Paio Mendes
• Paio Ramires Ramirão
• Sancho Nunes de Barbosa (1114-1169)
• Soeiro Mendes de Sousa (1121-1137)

The Battle

The counts that dominated Portucale and Coimbra counties kept the idea of independence, and their merger only strengthen their positions. Alfonso VI of Leon, knowing the wishes of the Portuguese, joined all Galicia for a single rule of one lord, which he choose one of his close relatives. Teresa, mother of Alfonso I, came to Guimarães to govern the Portuguese county. The Portuguese did not accept this, and the battle started. Afonso wins the battle and Portuguese started its steps towards independence. In 1129, he declares himself Prince of Portugal and in 1139 as King of Portugal. Leon finally recognized Portugal's independence in 1143 in the treaty of Zamora. Only in 1179, the Holly See declares him King, de jure. De jure (in Classical Latin de iure) is an expression that means by law, as contrasted with de facto, which means in fact. The terms de jure and de facto are used like in principle and in practice when one is describing political situations. ...