Gualdim Pais
Encyclopedia
Dom
Gualdim Pais (1118–1195), a Portuguese
crusader, Templar
, Friar
and Knight
in the service of Afonso Henriques of Portugal, was the founder of the city of Tomar
.
) in 1118, son of Paio Ramires and Gontrode Soares. He fought alongside Afonso Henriques against the Moors
, and received a knighthood by him in 1139, after the Battle of Ourique
.
He departed for Palestine
shortly thereafter the Battle of Ourique, and during the next five years fought as a Knight Templar. He had a prominent role in the siege of the city of Gaza
.
He was ordained the fourth Grand Master in Portugal
of the Order of Knights Templar
in 1157, which then was ruled from Braga
. He founded the Castle of Tomar in 1160, then near the frontier with the Muslim
states, and transferred the seat of the order there. The famous Round Church
of the Castle of Tomar, inspired by similar structures in Jerusalem, was built under his supervision. He issued a feudal charter (foral
), to the town of Tomar
in 1162. During his life, he supervised the building or restoration of several other frontier castles for the Templar
s: namely, the Castle of Almourol
, and those of Idanha, Ceres, Monsanto and Pombal
(founding the settlement of Pombal
and issuing a foral in 1174).
Besieged in 1190 by vastly superior force under the Almoravid King of Morocco
Yusuf I
, he and his knights managed to defeat the monarch's forces and thus defending the north of the fledgling Kingdom.
He died in Tomar
in the year 1195. His grave is located in the Church of Santa Maria do Olival
in that city.
Dom (title)
Dom is a title of respect prefixed to the given name. It derives from Latin Dominus.It is used in English for certain Benedictine and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation...
Gualdim Pais (1118–1195), a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
crusader, Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, Friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
and Knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
in the service of Afonso Henriques of Portugal, was the founder of the city of Tomar
Tomar
Tomar Municipality has a total area of 351.0 km² and a total population of 43,007 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Santarém District...
.
Biography
Gualdim Pais was born in Amares (a town in the province of Minho, near BragaBraga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
) in 1118, son of Paio Ramires and Gontrode Soares. He fought alongside Afonso Henriques against the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
, and received a knighthood by him in 1139, after the Battle of Ourique
Battle of Ourique
The Battle of Ourique saw the forces of Portuguese Prince Afonso Henriques defeat the Almoravid Moors led by Ali ibn Yusuf.-Background:...
.
He departed for Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
shortly thereafter the Battle of Ourique, and during the next five years fought as a Knight Templar. He had a prominent role in the siege of the city of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
.
He was ordained the fourth Grand Master in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
of the Order of Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
in 1157, which then was ruled from Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
. He founded the Castle of Tomar in 1160, then near the frontier with the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
states, and transferred the seat of the order there. The famous Round Church
Convent of the Order of Christ
The Convent of the Order of Christ is a religious building and Roman Catholic building in Tomar, Portugal, originally a Templar stronghold built in the 12th century...
of the Castle of Tomar, inspired by similar structures in Jerusalem, was built under his supervision. He issued a feudal charter (foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
), to the town of Tomar
Tomar
Tomar Municipality has a total area of 351.0 km² and a total population of 43,007 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Santarém District...
in 1162. During his life, he supervised the building or restoration of several other frontier castles for the Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
s: namely, the Castle of Almourol
Castle of Almourol
The Almourol Castle is situated in the small Almourol island, a rocky island, in the middle of the Tagus river , in Praia do Ribatejo, a parish in Vila Nova da Barquinha, Central Portugal. The castle was a Knights Templar stronghold used during the Reconquista.-The conquest of the castle:The site...
, and those of Idanha, Ceres, Monsanto and Pombal
Pombal, Portugal
Pombal is a town in Pombal Municipality, Portugal. The population of the city is about 16.000 inhabitants....
(founding the settlement of Pombal
Pombal, Portugal
Pombal is a town in Pombal Municipality, Portugal. The population of the city is about 16.000 inhabitants....
and issuing a foral in 1174).
Besieged in 1190 by vastly superior force under the Almoravid King of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
Yusuf I
Yaqub, Almohad Caliph
Abu Yusuf Ya'qub al-Mansur , also known as Moulay Yacoub, was the third Almohad AmirSucceeding his father, Abu Ya'qub Yusuf, Yaqub al-Mansur reigned from 1184 to 1199 with distinction. During his tenure, trade, architecture, philosophy and the sciences flourished, to say nothing of military...
, he and his knights managed to defeat the monarch's forces and thus defending the north of the fledgling Kingdom.
He died in Tomar
Tomar
Tomar Municipality has a total area of 351.0 km² and a total population of 43,007 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Santarém District...
in the year 1195. His grave is located in the Church of Santa Maria do Olival
Church of Santa Maria do Olival
The Church of Santa Maria do Olival is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Tomar, in Portugal.The church was built in the second half of the 12th century by the provincial master of the Order of the Knights Templar in Portugal, Gualdim Pais...
in that city.