Sancho I King Of PORTUGAL

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: "The Popular"

Notes:

Sancho I, King of Portugal (pron. IPA /'s?~?u/), Sanctius I in English, nicknamed the Populator (Port. o Povoador), second king of Portugal, was born on November 11, 1154 in Coimbra and died on March 26, 1212 in the same city. He was the third but only surviving son of Afonso I Henriques of Portugal by his wife, Mafalda of Savoy. Sancho succeeded his father in 1185. He used the title King of Algarve and/or Silves between 1189 and 1191

In 1170, Sancho was knighted by his father, King Afonso I, and from that time he became his second in command, both administratively and military. At this time, the independence of Portugal (declared in 1139) was not firmly established. The kings of LeÛn and Castile were trying to annex the country and the Catholic church was late in giving its blessing and approval. Due to this Afonso I had to search for allies within the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal made an alliance with the kingdom of Aragon and together they fought Castile and LeÛn. To secure the agreement, Prince Sancho of Portugal married, in 1174, princess Dulce Berenguer, younger sister of king Alfonso II of Aragon. Aragon was thus the first Iberian kingdom to recognize the independence of Portugal.

With the death of Afonso I in 1185, Sancho I became the second king of Portugal. Coimbra was the centre of his kingdom; Sancho terminated the exhausting and generally pointless wars against his neighbours for control of the Galician borderlands. Instead, he turned all his attentions to the South, against the Moorish communities that still thrived. With Crusader help he took Silves in 1191. Silves was an important city of the South, an administrative and commercial town with population around 20,000 people. Sancho ordered the fortification of the city and built a castle that is today an important monument of Portuguese heritage. However, military attention soon had to be turned again to the North, where LeÛn and Castile threatened again the Portuguese borders. Silves was again lost to the Moors.

Sancho I founded the city of Guarda in 1199.

Sancho I dedicated much of his reign to political and administrative organization of the new kingdom. He accumulated a national treasure, supported new industries and the middle class of merchants. Moreover, he created several new towns and villages and took great care in populating remote areas in the northern Christian regions of Portugal, notably with Flemings and Burgundians ? hence the nickname the Populator. The king was also known for his love of knowledge and literature. Sancho I wrote several books of poems and used the royal treasure to send Portuguese boys to study in European Universities.

Family/Spouse: Dulce Of BARCELONA. Dulce (daughter of Raymond IV BERENGER and Petronilla I Of ARAGON) was born about 1159 in Barcelona, Spain; died in 1198; was buried in Igreja Da Santa Cruz, Coimbra, Cimbra Protugal. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Teresa Of PORTUGAL was born in 1181; died in 1250.
2. Constance Of PORTUGAL was born about 1182; died on 03 Aug 1202.
3. Lord of Balearis Islands Peter Count Of URGELL was born on 23 Feb 1187; died on 02 Jun 1258.
4. Berengaria Of PORTUGAL was born about 1195; died in 1221.
5. Raymond Of PORTUGAL was born in 1180; died in 1189.
6. Henry Of PORTUGAL was born in 1189; died in 1189.
7. Mafalda Of PORTUGAL was born about 1200; died in 1256.
8. Fernando Of PORTUGAL was born on 24 Mar 1188; died on 04 Mar 1233.
9. Lady of Guadalajar Branca Of PORTUGAL was born about 1192; died in 1240.
10. Abbess of Lorvao Sancha Of PORTUGAL was born about 1182; died on 13 Mar 1229.
11. Alfonso II The Fat King Of PORTUGAL was born on 23 Apr 1185 in Coimbra; died on 25 Mar 1223 in Santarem; was buried in Alcobaca.

Family/Spouse: Maria AIRES. Maria was born about 1180. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Martim Sanches Count Of TRASTAMARA was born about 1200; died in 1229.
2. Urraca Sanches Of PORTUGAL was born about 1200; died in 1256.

Family/Spouse: Maria Pais RIBEIRA. Maria was born about 1170; died in 1258. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Nuno Sanches Of PORTUGAL was born about 1200.
2. Maior Sanches Of PORTUGAL
3. Rodrigo Sanches Of PORTUGAL was born about 1200; died in 1245.
4. Teresa Sanches Of PORTUGAL was born in 1205; died in 1230.
5. Gil Sanches Of PORTUGAL was born about 1200; died in 1236.
6. Constanca Sanches Of PORTUGAL was born in 1210; died in 1269.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: The famous crusading king who recovered Lisbon from the Moors
• Name: Alfonso I King Of Portugal
• Fact: Between 1128 and 1185, First King of Portugal
• Death: 06 Dec 1185

Affonso married Matilde Of SAVOY in 1146 in Chambbery, Savoie, Medieval States. Matilde (daughter of Amadeus III and Maud D'ALBON) was born in 1125 in Chambbery, Savoie, France; died on 04 Dec 1157 in Coimbra, Portugal; was buried in Igreja Santa Cruz, Coimbra, Portugal. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]