From the Establishment of Portugal to the Dynastic Crisis of 1383-1385
At a time rife with the spirit of crusade and battle against the enemy of the Christian faith, a group of valiant and determined young noblemen, sharing a desire of independence, shaped the birth of the Portuguese nation. Afonso Henriques, the son of count Henrique and countess Teresa, personified that Portuguese desire of independence and became the first king of Portugal.
Turning to his advantage a fleet of crusaders sailing past the shores of Portugal in 1147, on its way to the Holy Land as a part of the Second Crusade, king Afonso Henriques drew support from that military force of approximately 150 French, English and Flemish ships and re-conquered from the Moors the most part of what to this day remains Portuguese territory.
His successors, Sancho II and Afonso III, continued towards the south with the Christian re-conquest of the territory. With king Dinis Portuguese borders settled, guarded by military religious orders such as the Order of the Knights Templar which, although extinct by papal decree during the reign of king Dinis, in was nevertheless fully embodied in the Order of Christ, created for that purpose alone.
In the late 14th century, in the middle of the Hundred Years’, underwent a period of serious internal and external conflicts centred on the neighbouring was without a successor to the throne when king Ferdinand died in 1383, which caused a national crisis in response to the clear danger of loosing independence.
First Dynasty (House of Henriques or House of Bologna)
Afonso Henriques the Conqueror, reigned from 1143 to 1185
Sancho I the Populator, reigned from 1185 to 1211
Afonso II the Fat, reigned from 1211 to 1223
Sancho II the Capuched, reigned from 1223 to 1247/8
Afonso III the Bolognese, reigned from 1248 to 1279
Dinis the Farmer, reigned from 1279 to 1325
Afonso IV the Brave, reigned from 1325 to 1357
Peter I the Just or The Cruel, reigned from 1357 to 1367
Ferdinand the Handsome, reigned from 1367 to 1383