Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Encyclopedia
Theresa of Portugal (1080 – 11 November 1130) was the first ruler of independent Portugal. She was the illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso VI of León and Castile by Ximena Moniz.
, nephew to the Queen, a brother of the Duke of Burgundy, a descendant of the kings of France in the male line. Henry was providing military assistance to father-in-law against the Muslims on the Portuguese march. The County of Portugal, the southern part of the realm of the assassinated brother of the Leonese king, Garcia II of Galicia and Portugal
, had been granted to Raymond of Burgundy
, but was transferred to Theresa and her husband in 1096.
s of her father, but Alfonso VI died in 1109, leaving everything to his legitimate daughter, Queen Urraca of Castile
. Henry invaded León, hoping to add it to his lands. When he died in 1112, Theresa was left to deal with the military and political situation. She took on the responsibility of government, and occupied herself at first mainly with her southern lands, that had only recently been reconquered from the Moors
as far as the Mondego River. In recognizing her victory in defending Coimbra
, she was called "Queen" by Pope Paschal II
and in light of this recognition, she appears in her documents as "Daughter of Alphonso and elected by God", explicitly being called queen in an 1117 document, leading some to refer to her as the first monarch of Portugal
.
In 1116, in an effort to expand her power, Theresa fought her half-sister, Queen Urraca. They fought again in 1120, as she continued to pursue a larger share in the Leonese inheritance, and allied herself as a widow to the most powerful Galician nobleman for that effect. This was the Count of Trava, who had rejected his first wife to openly marry her, and served her on her southern border of the Mondego. In 1121, she was besieged and captured at Lanhoso, on her northern border with Galicia, fighting her sister Urraca. A negotiated peace was coordinated with aid from the Archbishops of Santiago de Compostela
and Braga
. The terms included that Theresa would go free and hold the county of Portugal as a fief of León, as she had received it at first.
.
The Portuguese lords rebelled, and the Queen was deposed after a short civil war. Her son and heir, Afonso
, defeated Teresa's troops near Guimarães
and led her, along with the Count of Trava and their children, into exile in the kingdom of Galicia, near the Portuguese border, where the Trava founded the monastery of Toxas Altas.
Teresa died soon afterwards in 1130. She was succeeded by her son, who would eventually lead Portugal into becoming a fully independent nation.
, Theresa had:
Marriage
In 1094, her father married her to a French nobleman, Henry of BurgundyHenry, Count of Portugal
Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal was Count of Portugal from 1093 to his death. He was brother of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy, and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy, all sons of Henry, the heir of Robert I, Duke of Burgundy. His name is Henri in modern French, Henricus in Latin, Enrique in modern Spanish...
, nephew to the Queen, a brother of the Duke of Burgundy, a descendant of the kings of France in the male line. Henry was providing military assistance to father-in-law against the Muslims on the Portuguese march. The County of Portugal, the southern part of the realm of the assassinated brother of the Leonese king, Garcia II of Galicia and Portugal
García II of Galicia and Portugal
García II , King of Galicia and Portugal, was the youngest of the three sons and heirs of Ferdinand I, King of Castile and León, and Sancha of León, whose Leonese inheritance included the lands García would be given....
, had been granted to Raymond of Burgundy
Raymond of Burgundy
Raymond of Burgundy was the fourth son of William I, Count of Burgundy, and was Count of Amous. He came to the Iberian Peninsula for the first time during the period 1086–1087 with Odo I, Duke of Burgundy...
, but was transferred to Theresa and her husband in 1096.
Struggle with sister
At first, Theresa and Henry were vassalVassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s of her father, but Alfonso VI died in 1109, leaving everything to his legitimate daughter, Queen Urraca of Castile
Urraca of Castile
Urraca was Queen regnant of León, Castile, and Galicia, and claimed the imperial title as suo jure Empress of All the Spains from 1109 until her death in childbirth, as well as Empress of All Galicia.- Childhood :...
. Henry invaded León, hoping to add it to his lands. When he died in 1112, Theresa was left to deal with the military and political situation. She took on the responsibility of government, and occupied herself at first mainly with her southern lands, that had only recently been reconquered from 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...
as far as the Mondego River. In recognizing her victory in defending Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, she was called "Queen" by Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II , born Ranierius, was Pope from August 13, 1099, until his death. A monk of the Cluniac order, he was created cardinal priest of the Titulus S...
and in light of this recognition, she appears in her documents as "Daughter of Alphonso and elected by God", explicitly being called queen in an 1117 document, leading some to refer to her as the first monarch of 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...
.
In 1116, in an effort to expand her power, Theresa fought her half-sister, Queen Urraca. They fought again in 1120, as she continued to pursue a larger share in the Leonese inheritance, and allied herself as a widow to the most powerful Galician nobleman for that effect. This was the Count of Trava, who had rejected his first wife to openly marry her, and served her on her southern border of the Mondego. In 1121, she was besieged and captured at Lanhoso, on her northern border with Galicia, fighting her sister Urraca. A negotiated peace was coordinated with aid from the Archbishops of Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
and 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...
. The terms included that Theresa would go free and hold the county of Portugal as a fief of León, as she had received it at first.
Rebellions
By 1128, the Archbishop of Braga and the main Portuguese feudal nobles had had enough of her persistent Galician alliance, which the first feared could favour the ecclesiastical pretensions of his new rival the Galician Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Diego Gelmírez, who had just started to assert his pretensions to an alleged discovery of relics of Saint James in his town, as his way to gain power and riches over the other cathedrals in the Iberian PeninsulaIberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
.
The Portuguese lords rebelled, and the Queen was deposed after a short civil war. Her son and heir, Afonso
Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso I or Dom Afonso Henriques , more commonly known as Afonso Henriques , nicknamed "the Conqueror" , "the Founder" or "the Great" by the Portuguese, and El-Bortukali and Ibn-Arrik by the Moors whom he fought, was the first King of Portugal...
, defeated Teresa's troops near Guimarães
Guimarães
Guimarães Municipality is located in northwestern Portugal in the province of Minho and in the Braga District. It contains the city of Guimarães.The present Mayor is António Magalhães Silva, elected by the Socialist Party.-Parishes:-Economy:...
and led her, along with the Count of Trava and their children, into exile in the kingdom of Galicia, near the Portuguese border, where the Trava founded the monastery of Toxas Altas.
Teresa died soon afterwards in 1130. She was succeeded by her son, who would eventually lead Portugal into becoming a fully independent nation.
Issue
By Henry, Count of PortugalHenry, Count of Portugal
Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal was Count of Portugal from 1093 to his death. He was brother of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy, and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy, all sons of Henry, the heir of Robert I, Duke of Burgundy. His name is Henri in modern French, Henricus in Latin, Enrique in modern Spanish...
, Theresa had:
- Urraca of Portugal (born c. 1095)
- Sancha of Portugal (1097–1163)
- Theresa of Portugal (born c. 1098)
- Henry of Portugal (1106–1110)
- King Alfonso I of Portugal (1109–1185)