View source for Portugal

<b>Portugal</b> occupies most of the Western seaboard of the [[Iberia|Iberian Penninsula]], and was formed as a result of the [[Reconquista]].<br>
In 868 Count Vimara Peres, a [[vassal]] of the [[King]] of [[L&eacute;on]], reconquered the area of [[Moors|Moorish]] [[Spain]] between the Minho and Douro rivers.  The area became a county in its own right, called ''Portucale'', in reference to the [[Roman Empire|Romanised]] city of ''Cale'' which was a ''port''.<br>
Technically the county was a dependency of L&eacute;on, but during the reigns of weak monarchs it enjoyed ''de facto'' independence.  In 1065, under '''Garcia''', one of the sons of '''Ferdinand I''', the county broke away, during disputes between Garcia's other brothers, from L&eacute;on, to become the Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal.  However, due to the rebellions of nobles, this lasted only 7 years before the country rejoined Leon and [[Castile]] (by then ruled by Garcia's brother, '''Alphonso VI'''.

In 1095 Portugal separated from Galicia, and at the end of the century Count '''Henry''' united the counties of Portucale and Coimbra and declared independence.  His son, '''Alfonso''', took up the struggle after his father's death and in 1128 declared himself Prince.  In 1139 he elevated his title to that of King and in 1143 the country was recognised as independent, with Alfonso as ''Dux Portucalensis''.  Finally, in 1179 the [[Pope]] declared him '''King Alfonso I'''.

The first capital city was Guimaraes; then Coimbra, and finally, in 1255, after the Algarve had been reconquered, the capital was moved to Lisbon.

Portugal rose to prominence as a trading nation having discovered a passage to [[India]] by travelling south around [[Africa]], and also establishing itself in the part of the [[New World]] which is now called Brazil. The man often given the credit for inspiring Portugal's successes on the sea is [[Henry the Navigator]], a Prince whose interest in exploration inspired many expeditions. During the [[16th century]] Portugal was one of the foremost kingdoms in [[Europe]].

[[category:Kingdoms (medieval)]]
[[category:Countries]]