Chronicon Lusitanum
Encyclopedia
The Chronicon Lusitanum or Lusitano (also Chronica Lusitana or Chronica/Chronicon Gothorum) is a chronicle
of the history of Portugal
from the earliest migrations
of the Visigoths (which it dates to 311) through the reign of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques (1139–85). The entries in the chronicle, ordered by year and dated by the Spanish Era
, get increasingly longer and the majority of the text deals with the reign of Afonso. The conventional title of the chronicle means "Lusitania
n (i.e. Portuguese) chronicle" or "chronicle of the Goths". It was first given by the editor Enrique Flórez
, who rejected the title under which it had previously been edited (Gothorum Chronica) because of its subject matter. Flórez also claims that the manuscript of the Chronicon had previously been utilised by André de Resende
, the first archaeologist of Portugal, and Manuel de Severim de Faria, the first journalist of Portugal; it was also edited in the third volume of the Monarchia Lusitana by António Brandão (1632).
311. The Goths left their homeland.
328. They entered Hispania, and they reigned there 387 years. From their own land to Spain took them seventeen years.
...
1008. On 6 October Count Menendo
was killed.
1016. On 6 September the Northmen came to the "Castle of Vermudo", which is in the province of Braga
. The count there was then Aloito Núñez.
1018. The lord king Alfonso[V of León]
died at Viseu
[1028 recte]. And in this year died the great count Nuño Álvarez.
1034. On 14 October Gonzalo Trastamárez took Montemor and restored it to the Christians.
1038. On 1 September Gonzalo Trastamárez was killed at Avenoso.
...
1128. As his father the lord Count Henry
died while this child [Afonso Henriques] was only two or three years of age, certain undignified foreigners [led by Fernando Pérez de Traba] came to the kingdom of Portugal, with the consent of his mother Queen Dona Teresa
, who desired to take the place of her husband and her son in the affairs of the realm. Since such a dishonorable injury he [Afonso] could never bear (being already grown up and well-formed), he invited his friends and the more noble men of Portugal, who much preferred his rule to that of his mother or of the ignoble foreigners who wished to dispossess him, and he met them to battle in the field of São Mamede, which is beside the castle of Guimarães
, and they were fought and defeated by him, and they fled from his face, and he captured them. He [thus] obtained the government and the kingship of the realm of Portugal.
...
1162. On 30 November during the night of Saint Andrew the Apostle the men of the king of Portugal, Dom Afonso, led by Fernão Gonçalves and other cavaleiros vilões invested the city of Pace, that is, Beja
at night, and bravely captured it, and the Christians possessed it in the thirty-fifth year of his [Afonso’s] reign.
1166. The city of Évora
was captured and devastated and entered at night by Gerald, called ‘without fear’
, and his fellow bandits, and he handed it over to the king Dom Afonso. Shortly after this king seized Moura and Serpa
and Alconchel
, and he ordered the castle of Coruche rebuilt in the thirty-ninth year of his reign.
1168. King Dom Afonso and his army were defeated at Badajoz
in the forty-first year of his reign.
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
of the history of Portugal
History of Portugal
The history of Portugal, a European and an Atlantic nation, dates back to the Early Middle Ages. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it ascended to the status of a world power during Europe's "Age of Discovery" as it built up a vast empire including possessions in South America, Africa, Asia and...
from the earliest migrations
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
of the Visigoths (which it dates to 311) through the reign of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques (1139–85). The entries in the chronicle, ordered by year and dated by the Spanish Era
Spanish era
The Spanish era, Hispanic era or Caesar era refers to the dating system used in Hispania until the 14th century, when the Anno Domini system was adopted. It began with year one in what is 38 BC, probably the date of a new tax imposed by the Roman Republic on the subdued population of Iberia....
, get increasingly longer and the majority of the text deals with the reign of Afonso. The conventional title of the chronicle means "Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
n (i.e. Portuguese) chronicle" or "chronicle of the Goths". It was first given by the editor Enrique Flórez
Enrique Florez
Enrique Flórez de Setién y Huidobro was a Spanish historian.Florez was born in Valladolid. At 15 years old, he entered the order of St Augustine. He subsequently became professor of theology at the University of Alcala, where he published a Cursus theologiae in five volumes...
, who rejected the title under which it had previously been edited (Gothorum Chronica) because of its subject matter. Flórez also claims that the manuscript of the Chronicon had previously been utilised by André de Resende
Andre de Resende
André de Resende , the father of archaeology in Portugal, a Dominican friar.He spent many years traveling in Spain, France and Belgium, where he corresponded with Erasmus and other learned men. He was also intimate with King John III and his sons, and acted as tutor to the Infante D...
, the first archaeologist of Portugal, and Manuel de Severim de Faria, the first journalist of Portugal; it was also edited in the third volume of the Monarchia Lusitana by António Brandão (1632).
Excerpts
311. The Goths left their homeland.
328. They entered Hispania, and they reigned there 387 years. From their own land to Spain took them seventeen years.
...
1008. On 6 October Count Menendo
Menendo González
Menendo González was a semi-autonomous Duke of Galicia and Count of Portugal and a dominant figure in the Kingdom of León around the turn of the second millennium. He was the tutor and father-in-law of King Alfonso V from at least 1003...
was killed.
1016. On 6 September the Northmen came to the "Castle of Vermudo", which is in the province of 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 count there was then Aloito Núñez.
1018. The lord king Alfonso
Alfonso V of León
Alfonso V , called the Noble, was King of León from 999 to 1028. He was the son of Bermudo II by his second wife Elvira García of Castile. The Abbot Oliva called him "Emperor of Spain"....
died at Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
[1028 recte]. And in this year died the great count Nuño Álvarez.
1034. On 14 October Gonzalo Trastamárez took Montemor and restored it to the Christians.
1038. On 1 September Gonzalo Trastamárez was killed at Avenoso.
...
1128. As his father the lord Count Henry
Henry, 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...
died while this child [Afonso Henriques] was only two or three years of age, certain undignified foreigners [led by Fernando Pérez de Traba
Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa of Portugal was the first ruler of independent Portugal...
, who desired to take the place of her husband and her son in the affairs of the realm. Since such a dishonorable injury he [Afonso] could never bear (being already grown up and well-formed), he invited his friends and the more noble men of Portugal, who much preferred his rule to that of his mother or of the ignoble foreigners who wished to dispossess him, and he met them to battle in the field of São Mamede, which is beside the castle of 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 they were fought and defeated by him, and they fled from his face, and he captured them. He [thus] obtained the government and the kingship of the realm of Portugal.
...
1162. On 30 November during the night of Saint Andrew the Apostle the men of the king of Portugal, Dom Afonso, led by Fernão Gonçalves and other cavaleiros vilões invested the city of Pace, that is, Beja
Beja
Beja may refer to:*Beja , a city in Portugal, or**Beja Municipality, its municipality**Beja District, the district it is in**Beja Airbase, the nearby airbase*Béja, a town in Tunisia, or...
at night, and bravely captured it, and the Christians possessed it in the thirty-fifth year of his [Afonso’s] reign.
1166. The city 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....
was captured and devastated and entered at night by Gerald, called ‘without fear’
Gerald the Fearless
Gerald or Gerard the Fearless , known in Portuguese as Geraldo Geraldes Sempavor , was a Portuguese warrior and folk hero of the Reconquista whose theatre of operations was in the barren Alentejo and Extremadura regions of the lower Guadiana river. The city of Évora was the most lasting of his...
, and his fellow bandits, and he handed it over to the king Dom Afonso. Shortly after this king seized Moura and Serpa
Serpa
Serpa is a municipality in Portugal, in Alentejo Region, with a total area of 1104.0 km² and a total population of 16,178 inhabitants. The Guadiana River flows close to the town of Serpa....
and Alconchel
Alconchel
Alconchel is a Spanish municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura. It has a population of 1,970 and an area of 294.9 km².-External links:*...
, and he ordered the castle of Coruche rebuilt in the thirty-ninth year of his reign.
1168. King Dom Afonso and his army were defeated at Badajoz
Badajoz
Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain, situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid–Lisbon railway. The population in 2007 was 145,257....
in the forty-first year of his reign.
Editions
- Enrique Flórez. España Sagrada (Madrid: 1796), XIV:415–32.
- Marc Szwajcer, trans. Chronique de Lusitanie. French translation based on Flórez's edition.