Benavente, Portugal
Encyclopedia
Benavente is a municipality and parish in Portugal
with a total area of 521.0 km² and a total population of 29,388 inhabitants (2011).
The municipality is composed of 4 parishes, and is located in Santarém District.
River created a Town on a peninsula in the tagus
estuary
. Situated in the western limits of Coruche Castle
dominion, which belonged to the Order of Calatrava
. This small settlement remained under the Seignory of this Military Order, which named it Benavente, the same name as a castle of the same Military order
in the Kingdom of Leon
(Which is the actual Benavente, Zamora
).
It received its foral
on March 25, 1200, given by D. Paio (or Pelágio), master of Military Order of Évora
. The foral was confirmed in Santarém
in 1218 by Sancho I
. King Manuel
gave it a new foral on January 16, 1516.
The present Mayor is António José Ganhão, elected by the Unitarian Democratic Coalition
(Communist
and Green coalition).
Benavente is crossed by National Road 118, which divides the Town in the historical centre on the west side, destroyed by an earthquake
in 27 April 1909, and the new town built after the Quake on the east
The municipal holiday is Ascension Day.
is headquartered in the municipality, in Samora Correia.
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...
with a total area of 521.0 km² and a total population of 29,388 inhabitants (2011).
The municipality is composed of 4 parishes, and is located in Santarém District.
History
In 1199 the fixation of foreign settlers on the left bank of the TagusTagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
River created a Town on a peninsula in the tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
. Situated in the western limits of Coruche Castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
dominion, which belonged to the Order of Calatrava
Order of Calatrava
The Order of Calatrava was the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order of Calatrava as a Militia was given by Pope Alexander III on September 26, 1164.-Origins and Foundation:...
. This small settlement remained under the Seignory of this Military Order, which named it Benavente, the same name as a castle of the same Military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
in the Kingdom of Leon
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...
(Which is the actual Benavente, Zamora
Benavente, Zamora
Benavente is a municipality in the north of the province of Zamora, in the autonomous community Castile and León of Spain. It has about 20,000 inhabitants....
).
It received its 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 ....
on March 25, 1200, given by D. Paio (or Pelágio), master of Military Order of Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
. The foral was confirmed in Santarém
Santarém, Portugal
Santarém is a city in the Santarém Municipality in Portugal. The city itself has a population of 28,760 and the entire municipality has 64,124 inhabitants.It is the capital of Santarém District....
in 1218 by Sancho I
Sancho I of Portugal
Sancho I , nicknamed the Populator , second monarch of Portugal, was born on 11 November 1154 in Coimbra and died on 26 March 1212 in the same city. He was the second but only surviving legitimate son and fourth child of Afonso I of Portugal by his wife, Maud of Savoy. Sancho succeeded his father...
. King Manuel
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
gave it a new foral on January 16, 1516.
The present Mayor is António José Ganhão, elected by the Unitarian Democratic Coalition
Unitarian Democratic Coalition
The Democratic Unity Coalition is an electoral and political coalition between the Portuguese Communist Party and the Ecologist Party "The Greens"...
(Communist
Portuguese Communist Party
The Portuguese Communist Party is a major left-wing political party in Portugal. It is a Marxist-Leninist party, and its organization is based upon democratic centralism. The party also considers itself to be patriotic and internationalist....
and Green coalition).
Benavente is crossed by National Road 118, which divides the Town in the historical centre on the west side, destroyed by an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
in 27 April 1909, and the new town built after the Quake on the east
The municipal holiday is Ascension Day.
Economy
Agriculture, livestock farming, forestry, and food industries are the main activities. The Companhia das LezíriasCompanhia das Lezírias
The Companhia das Lezírias or CL for short , is a state-run agriculture and forestry company located in the Lezíria do Tejo subregion, and headquartered in Samora Correia, Benavente municipality, Portugal. It was founded in the 19th century by the Portuguese Crown...
is headquartered in the municipality, in Samora Correia.