Battle of Valdevez
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Valdevez took place at Arcos de Valdevez
on the banks of the river Vez between the Kingdom of León
and the Kingdom of Portugal
in the summer of 1140 or 1141. It is one of only two pitched battles that Alfonso VII of León
is known to have fought, and the only of the two not coincident with a siege
. His opponent at Valdevez was his cousin Afonso I of Portugal
. An armistice signed after the battle eventually became the Treaty of Zamora
(1143), and ended Portugal's first war of independence. The area of the battle became known as the Veiga or Campo da Matança, the "field of killing".
. The subsequent birth of two sons to Alfonso, the future kings Sancho III
and Ferdinand II
, and the geographic distance between Afonso's Portuguese power base and the Crown's, probably convinced Afonso to rebel in contravention of the Treaty of Tui (1137) and invade Galicia. He crossed the Minho
and entered the area of Valdevez ("valley of the Vez"). Upon hearing this, Alfonso VII rushed troops from León into Galicia, destroying fortifications that could be used by Afonso as they went, and camping in the Sierra de Suajo north of the river Lima, of which the Vez is a tributary.
At Valdevez, the primary combatants on both sides were mounted knight
s. It is unclear how the battle developed, but it is believed that in order to eliminate the possibility of a mêlée
, each monarch selected knights for individual jousting
matches, and the battle descended into a hastilude
. The need to deal with an Almoravid invasion of the south of his territory may have forced Afonso of Portugal to accept a tournament. Valdevez exemplifies the tendency, noted by Philippe Contamine
, of medieval battles between knights to descend "into a sort of great tourney
, half serious, half frivolous." At Arcos de Valdevez many prisoners were taken but few lives lost. Besides Ramiro Fróilaz
, who is the only nobleman taken at Valdevez mentioned by name in the contemporary Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris, the Portuguese may have captured Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera
and the Traba brothers Fernando Pérez and Vermudo Pérez. The Portuguese succeeded in gaining the advantage, by the laws of chivalry
of the time, and defeated the Leonese knights. Under these circumstances a peace was concluded and prisoners exchanged. An armistice was signed after the battle that eventually became the Treaty of Zamora
.
The anonymous Chronicon Lusitanum
, a Portuguese source, records the battle under the year 1140:
mural of the battle in the São Bento Train Station
. In Arcos de Valdevez a monument by sculpture José Rodrigues commemorates the battle as a joust. In the Museu de Arcos de Valdevez an artefact from the so-called Torneio de Cavaleiros is permanently on display.
Arcos de Valdevez
Arcos de Valdevez is a municipality along the northern frontier of Portugal and Galicia , that incorporates a territory of 447.6 km² and a total population of 24,466 inhabitants...
on the banks of the river Vez between the Kingdom of León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
and the Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
in the summer of 1140 or 1141. It is one of only two pitched battles that Alfonso VII of León
Alfonso VII of León
Alfonso VII , born Alfonso Raimúndez, called the Emperor , became the King of Galicia in 1111 and King of León and Castile in 1126. Alfonso first used the title Emperor of All Spain, alongside his mother Urraca, once his mother vested him with the direct rule of Toledo in 1116...
is known to have fought, and the only of the two not coincident with a siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
. His opponent at Valdevez was his cousin Afonso I of Portugal
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...
. An armistice signed after the battle eventually became the Treaty of Zamora
Treaty of Zamora
The Treaty of Zamora recognized Portuguese independence from the Kingdom of León. Based on the terms of the accord, King Alfonso VII of León and Castille recognized the Kingdom of Portugal in the presence of King Afonso I of Portugal, witnessed by the papal representative, Cardinal Guido de Vico,...
(1143), and ended Portugal's first war of independence. The area of the battle became known as the Veiga or Campo da Matança, the "field of killing".
Course of the conflict
At the start of Alfonso VII's reign, Afonso of Portugal was his heir presumptiveHeir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
. The subsequent birth of two sons to Alfonso, the future kings Sancho III
Sancho III of Castile
Sancho III was King of Castile and Toledo for one year, from 1157 to 1158. During the Reconquista, in which he took an active part, he founded the Order of Calatrava...
and Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II of Leon
Ferdinand II was King of León and Galicia from 1157 to his death.-Life:Born in Toledo, Castile, he was the son of King Alfonso VII of León and Castile and of Berenguela, of the House of Barcelona. At his father's death, he received León and Galicia, while his brother Sancho received Castile and...
, and the geographic distance between Afonso's Portuguese power base and the Crown's, probably convinced Afonso to rebel in contravention of the Treaty of Tui (1137) and invade Galicia. He crossed the Minho
Minho River
The Minho or Miño is the longest river in Galicia, Spain, with an extension of 340 km.Both names come from Latin Minius...
and entered the area of Valdevez ("valley of the Vez"). Upon hearing this, Alfonso VII rushed troops from León into Galicia, destroying fortifications that could be used by Afonso as they went, and camping in the Sierra de Suajo north of the river Lima, of which the Vez is a tributary.
At Valdevez, the primary combatants on both sides were mounted 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....
s. It is unclear how the battle developed, but it is believed that in order to eliminate the possibility of a mêlée
Mêlée
Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
, each monarch selected knights for individual jousting
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
matches, and the battle descended into a hastilude
Hastilude
Hastilude is a generic term used in the Middle Ages to refer to many kinds of martial games. The word comes from the Latin hastiludium, literally "lance game"'...
. The need to deal with an Almoravid invasion of the south of his territory may have forced Afonso of Portugal to accept a tournament. Valdevez exemplifies the tendency, noted by Philippe Contamine
Philippe Contamine
Philippe Contamine, born 7 May 1932 in Metz, is a French historian of the Middle Ages who specialises in military history and the history of the nobility....
, of medieval battles between knights to descend "into a sort of great tourney
Tournament (medieval)
A tournament, or tourney is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance . It is one of various types of hastiludes....
, half serious, half frivolous." At Arcos de Valdevez many prisoners were taken but few lives lost. Besides Ramiro Fróilaz
Ramiro Fróilaz
Ramiro Fróilaz was a Leonese magnate, statesman, and military leader. He was a dominant figure in the kingdom during the reigns of Alfonso VII and Ferdinand II. He was primarily a territorial governor, but also a court figure, connected to royalty both by blood and by marriage...
, who is the only nobleman taken at Valdevez mentioned by name in the contemporary Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris, the Portuguese may have captured Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera
Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera
Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera , called Ponç Guerau in Catalan, was a Catalan nobleman who came to León in the entourage of Berenguela, daughter of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, when she married Alfonso VII of León and Castile at Saldaña in November 1127. Immediately after his arrival, Ponce...
and the Traba brothers Fernando Pérez and Vermudo Pérez. The Portuguese succeeded in gaining the advantage, by the laws of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
of the time, and defeated the Leonese knights. Under these circumstances a peace was concluded and prisoners exchanged. An armistice was signed after the battle that eventually became the Treaty of Zamora
Treaty of Zamora
The Treaty of Zamora recognized Portuguese independence from the Kingdom of León. Based on the terms of the accord, King Alfonso VII of León and Castille recognized the Kingdom of Portugal in the presence of King Afonso I of Portugal, witnessed by the papal representative, Cardinal Guido de Vico,...
.
Primary sources
The Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris relates the episode of Valdevez at §§82–3:
. . . the Emperor [Alfonso VII] commanded the Counts from Castile to prepare for daily attacks on King García[ García Ramírez of Navarre] . These nobles were Rodrigo Gómez, Lope López, Gutier Fernández, and others. Alfonso VII mobilized a large force and departed for Portugal. He captured several powerful castles there while destroying and plundering the land. The King of Portugal likewise mobilized his army and marched out to fight the few men who had foolishly been separated from the Emperor's main force. The Portuguese confronted Count Ramiro[ Ramiro FróilazRamiro FróilazRamiro Fróilaz was a Leonese magnate, statesman, and military leader. He was a dominant figure in the kingdom during the reigns of Alfonso VII and Ferdinand II. He was primarily a territorial governor, but also a court figure, connected to royalty both by blood and by marriage...] who was attempting to conquer their land. They joined in battle, and Ramiro was defeated and taken prisoner.
The Emperor stationed his camp facing the castle at Penha da Rainha which is located in Portela de Vez. The Portuguese King pitched his tents facing the Emperor's camp on a higher and rougher terrain with a valley lying between the two. Many nobles from both armies came down and engaged in individual combat. The Emperor's knights did so without his consent. Many on both sides fell from their horses and were captured.
The anonymous Chronicon Lusitanum
Chronicon Lusitanum
The Chronicon Lusitanum or Lusitano is a chronicle of the history of Portugal from the earliest migrations of the Visigoths through the reign of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques...
, a Portuguese source, records the battle under the year 1140:
. . . the Emperor Don Alfonso, son of Count Raymond and Queen Doña Urraca, daughter of the Emperor Don Alfonso, having assembled his entire army of Castile and Galicia, wished to enter the kingdom of Portugal and arrived at a place called Valdevez. But the king of Portugal, Afonso, joined with his army and coming in the manner he wished, drew up his tents, some in that place and others elsewhere. Certain people came from the Emperor for a game [ex parte Imperatoris ad ludendum], which is popularly called a “bufurdio” [Bufurdium], and immediately the men of the king of Portugal came down and fought them. They took many captives, including Fernando Pérez Furtado, the Emperor's brother, the consul Ponce de CabreraPonce Giraldo de CabreraPonce Giraldo de Cabrera , called Ponç Guerau in Catalan, was a Catalan nobleman who came to León in the entourage of Berenguela, daughter of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, when she married Alfonso VII of León and Castile at Saldaña in November 1127. Immediately after his arrival, Ponce...
, Vermudo Pérez, and Varella, son of Fernando Yáñez, brother of Pelayo Curvo, and Rodrigo Fernández, father of Fernando Rodríguez, and Martín Cabra, cousin of the consul Don Ponce, and many others who had come with them.
Memorials
There is a commemorative azulejoAzulejo
Azulejo from the Arabic word Zellige زليج is a form of Portuguese or Spanish painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries...
mural of the battle in the São Bento Train Station
São Bento Train Station
The São Bento Train Station is located in the city of Porto, in Portugal. Inaugurated in 1916, the historical station is known for its tile panels that depict scenes of the History of Portugal. It is located in the Almeida Garret Square, in the centre of the city...
. In Arcos de Valdevez a monument by sculpture José Rodrigues commemorates the battle as a joust. In the Museu de Arcos de Valdevez an artefact from the so-called Torneio de Cavaleiros is permanently on display.