The Kingdom of Portugal emerged from the County of Portugal, a territory in the west of the Iberian Peninsula. Afonso Henriques proclaimed himself king after a victory over Muslim forces, traditionally placed at the Battle of Ourique, and his title was later recognized by the Kingdom of Leon and by the papacy. He captured Lisbon in 1147 with the help of crusaders, and his successors completed the conquest of the south. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries Portuguese navigators opened sea routes to Africa, India and Brazil, creating a vast trading empire. The monarchy survived Spanish rule between 1580 and 1640, the Lisbon earthquake and the Napoleonic invasions, and ended when a republican revolution overthrew King Manuel II.
Before and after
- 1137Construction of St. Stephen's Cathedral
- c. 1138Birth of Moshe ben Maimon
- 1138Birth of Saladin
- from 28 April 1138 to 21 May 1138Siege of Shaizar
- from 25 July 1139 to 5 October 1910Kingdom of Portugal
- from 1140 to 1530Gothic art
- 1147Construction of Koutoubia Mosque
- 1147Construction of Maulbronn Monastery
- from 1147 to 1149Second Crusade
More in Civilizations & archaeology
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- 1239Construction of Alhambra
- 1420Construction of Kremlin
- 1473Construction of Sistine Chapel
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 12th century.