Battle of Ourique

The Battle of Ourique took place in July 26 1139, in the countryside outside the town of Ourique, present-day Alentejo (southern Portugal). In this battle, the forces of Portuguese Prince Afonso Henriques (of the House of Burgundy) clashed against the Almoravid Moors lead by Emir Ali ibn Yusuf.

Related Topics:
July 26 - 1139 - Countryside - Ourique - Alentejo - Portugal - Afonso Henriques - House of Burgundy - Almoravid - Moors - Ali ibn Yusuf

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Despite the fact that the Christian Portuguese forces were strongly outnumbered, the Muslim armies were weakened by internal leadership problems, and the victory for Afonso Henriques was such that he proclaimed himself King of Portugal as Afonso I with the overwhelming support of his troops, having vanquished and slain, so legend says, five Moorish kings.

Related Topics:
Christian - Muslim - King of Portugal - Afonso I

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Immediately after the battle, King Afonso I of Portugal called for the first assembly of the estates-general of Portugal at Lamego, where he was given the Crown from the Bishop of Braga, to confirm the independence from the Kingdom of León and Castile.

Related Topics:
Portugal - Lamego - Crown - Bishop - Braga - Kingdom of León - Castile

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Some years later, the idea of a miraculous intervention in the battle by Saint James the Great in favour of the Portuguese sprung up. St. James was widely venerated in Iberia (with a main center of veneration in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, where his tomb is supposed to be located), being generally seen as the Matamouros ("Moor-slayer"). In the process of Portuguese independence this legend changed with time, due to the need to make distance with Spanish devotional practices and beliefs. In a first stage St. James was replaced by Saint George, and, in a second stage, by Christ himself. The legend of the miracle of the Battle of Ourique served thus as a political instrument to defend Portuguese independence as divine will.

Related Topics:
Miraculous - Saint James the Great - Iberia - Santiago de Compostela - Galicia - Moor - Portuguese independence - Spanish - Saint George - Christ

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In commemoration of the Battle of Ourique, it is said that the Portuguese coat-of-arms bears five small shields (representing the five defeated Moorish kings), though this interpretation his chalenged by many authors.

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