RECONQUISTADORS

AFONSO I

FOUNDER OF THE KINGDOM OF PORTUGAL C.1109-85 PORTUGAL

Until Afonso, Portugal was territorially split between a Christian county that owed allegiance to Castile-León and the Muslim Almoravid dynasty. Afonso’s own maternal grandfather was Alfonso VI of Castile-León and he became count of Portugal as a child while his mother Teresa acted as regent. He first had to overcome his mother’s resistance to his majority when he defeated her supporters at the Battle of São Mamede in 1128. Afonso then proclaimed himself as prince of Portugal before he turned his attention to defeating the Almoravids.

The Battle of Ourique on 25 July 1139 was a