The formation of Portugal, as an independent country, dates back to 1093, through land donated by King Afonso VI of León and Castile to D. Henrique de Burgundy.
The history of Portugal, however, must be understood since the occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, inhabited by the Iberians, among other peoples.
Likewise, we cannot separate the formation of Portugal from the history of Spain.
In the 6th century BC, the Celts entered the peninsula, coming from Gaul – present-day France. Its tribes spread through the territory, mainly in the region of the Tagus River and gave rise to several populations, among which were the Lusitanians.
Roman Empire and Portugal
In 206 BC, the Romans invaded the Iberian Peninsula and remained there until the 5th century. The territory was divided into three major provinces:Tarraconense, Bética and Lusitania. This included the current center and south of Portugal, but also cities that are today in Spain such as Salamanca and Mérida.
The Romans occupied the mouths of the rivers and installed their materials there for the production of “garo”, a very popular seasoning throughout the Empire. Later, the region suffered the same fate as the Roman Empire, when it was occupied by Germanic tribes.
The "barbarian" invasions and Portugal
The German “barbarians” (Vandals and Suebi) arrive and divide the territory among themselves. Lusitania is occupied by the Suevi, who founded an independent kingdom northwest of the Tagus.
In this period, the name "Porto Cale" appears for the first time (tax port at the entrance of the Douro River) where the city of Porto is now located. From this word would originate the name of the country, Portugal.
In 585, it was the turn of the Visigoths, allies of the Romans and of German origin, to settle in the region.
The Visigoths adopted Roman customs, spread across the countryside, retaining large tracts of land for themselves. They had converted to Aryan Christianity, which would provoke countless religious wars in the Iberian Peninsula that only ended when they abandoned it in 589.
The Arab Invasion
In the 8th century, the Iberian Peninsula is invaded by the Arabs who would stay there for approximately seven centuries. It is important to remember that in some parts of the territory, Muslims stayed for less time.
With the exception of the region of Asturias, nucleus of Christian resistance, the rest of the peninsula was under Arab control.
In the Kingdom of Leon, outlaws from Muslim domains unite to conquer lands. Later, due to internal disputes, the kingdom of León would be dismembered and the Kingdom of Castile would be born, in the 11th century. Further east emerged the Christian kingdoms of Aragon and Navarre.
In 910, the Kingdom of Galicia was created, in the extreme northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, whose capital was Braga, currently in Portugal. In this new kingdom, a hereditary county called Portucalense was created, from which Portugal would be born.
King Fernando I of Leão (or Fernando Magno) conquered cities such as Lamego, Viseu and Coimbra. In 1065, with the death of Fernando I of León, his kingdom is divided between his three sons. One of them, D:Afonso VI, inherits the kingdom of Castile, and later annexes the kingdom of Leon and Galicia.
The conquests of D. Afonso VI increased the struggles between Muslims and Christians. These had to turn to Christians from other lands in order to fight them. One of the allies was D. Henrique de Burgundy (currently French territory).
Learn more :Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula
Origin of Portugal
Once victorious, D. Afonso VI marries his daughter, D. Teresa of Leão, with D:Henrique de Burgonha. Likewise, in 1093, he donates to his son-in-law, the lands that comprised the old Portucalense county, from the river Minho to the city of Coimbra. This territory was not independent but a vassal of the Kingdom of Leon.
With the death of D. Henrique, the heir Dom Afonso Henriques was only three years old and the government is occupied by the widow, Dona Teresa, who tries to be recognized as heir to the kingdom of Castile, at the same time she proclaims herself queen of Portugal.
Over time, Teresa allows herself to be influenced by Galician nobles, moving away from the intentions of making the county independent. However, D:Afonso Henriques wins the support of the Bishop of Braga, Dom Paio Mendes and his successors, who wanted to gain the independence of their archdiocese.
In 1128, D. Afonso Henriques faces his mother and her allies in the Battle of São Mamede and emerges victorious. Later, he refuses to recognize King Afonso VII, King of Galicia, Leon, Castile and Toledo, as his sovereign.
D. Afonso Henriques expands his territory taking land from Muslims. After the Battle of Ourique in 1139, where he defeats five Muslim leaders, Dom Afonso Henriques proclaims himself King of Portugal as Afonso I.
King Afonso VII recognized him as sovereign through the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 and Pope Alexander III did so in 1179.
D. Afonso Henriques inaugurates the Burgundian Dynasty and his successors are responsible for consolidating the borders of the new country.
The last monarch of the Burgundian dynasty was D. Fernando, who died in 1381. Two years later, the court proclaims D. João, the new king of Portugal, master of the military order of Avis, which starts the dynasty of the same name. This episode would be known as the Avis Revolution.
Read Also :Avis Revolution