Memories of the Battle of Ourique

Memories of the Battle of Ourique
Of such a distant past, which only reaches us through bits and pieces of tales transmitted from mouth to mouth over the ages, the legend of the miracle of Ourique is recalled in numerous mouments of the region, such as the Royal Basilica or the Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

The story tells that on the eve of the battle, after a day of exausting preparations for war, Afonso Henriques was trying to rest in the peace of his tent when he was visited by an old man who instructed him, in name of Jesus, to walk away from the camp, alone.

Afonso Henriques did this and, at an isolated spot, he saw a flash of lightning which illuminated an enormous cross and the figure of Christ, surrounded by angels.

Jesus told him that he would win the following day´s fight and that he would be declared king.

After a terrible and lengthy fight, what remained of the five Moorish kings army was lost in the Alentejo plains, thus fulfilling what was considered, from them onwards, a divine miracle; forever part of the popular imaginary of Castro Verde.

Afonso Henriques was declared king of Portugal and he included five shields in his coat of arms, representing the five defeated kingdoms.

To commemorate the outstanding victory, king Sebastian later ordered the construction of St Peter of the Heads Chapel.