Henry, Count of Portugal
Encyclopedia
Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal (Portuguese
: Conde D. Henrique) (1066–1112) 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
and Henrique in modern Portuguese
. He was a distant cousin of Raymond of Burgundy
and Pope Callistus II.
As a younger son, Henry had little chance of acquiring fortune and titles by inheritance, thus he joined the Reconquista
against the Moors
in the Iberian Peninsula
. He joined the campaign of King Alfonso VI of Castile
and León
, who was married to Henry's aunt Constance of Burgundy
, and played an important role in the conquest of modern Galicia, and the north of Portugal. In reward, Henry was married to King Alfonso's illegitimate daughter, Theresa, Countess of Portugal
in 1093, receiving the County of Portugal
, then a fiefdom
of the Kingdom of León
, as a dowry
.
From Teresa, Henry had three sons and three daughters. The only son to survive childhood was Afonso Henriques
, who became Count of Portugal in 1112. However, the young man Afonso was energetic and expanded his dominions at the expense of Muslim
s. In 1139, he declared himself King of Portugal after reneging the subjugation to León, in open confrontation with his mother. Two daughters also survived childhood, Urraca and Sancha. Urraca Henriques married Vermudo Pérez de Traba, Count of Trastámara
. Sancha Henriques married a nobleman, Sancho Nunes de Celanova; her son was Velasco Sánchez
.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: Conde D. Henrique) (1066–1112) was Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Portugal
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...
from 1093 to his death. He was brother of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy
Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy
Hugh I was duke of Burgundy between 1076 and 1079. Hugh was son of Henry of Burgundy and grandson of duke Robert I. He inherited Burgundy from his grandfather, following the premature death of Henry, but abdicated shortly afterwards to his brother Eudes I. He briefly fought the Moors in the...
, and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy, all sons of Henry, the heir of Robert I, Duke of Burgundy
Robert I, Duke of Burgundy
Robert I Capet or Robert I of Burgundy, known as Robert the Old was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death...
. His name is Henri in modern French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Henricus in Latin, Enrique in modern Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Henrique in modern Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
. He was a distant cousin of Raymond of Burgundy
Raymond of Burgundy
Raymond of Burgundy was the fourth son of William I, Count of Burgundy, and was Count of Amous. He came to the Iberian Peninsula for the first time during the period 1086–1087 with Odo I, Duke of Burgundy...
and Pope Callistus II.
As a younger son, Henry had little chance of acquiring fortune and titles by inheritance, thus he joined the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
against the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. He joined the campaign of King Alfonso VI of Castile
Alfonso VI of Castile
Alfonso VI , nicknamed the Brave or the Valiant, was King of León from 1065, King of Castile and de facto King of Galicia from 1072, and self-proclaimed "Emperor of all Spain". After the conquest of Toledo he was also self-proclaimed victoriosissimo rege in Toleto, et in Hispania et Gallecia...
and 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...
, who was married to Henry's aunt Constance of Burgundy
Constance of Burgundy
Constance of Burgundy was the daughter of Duke Robert I of Burgundy and Helie de Semur-en-Brionnais. She was Queen consort of Castile and León by her marriage to Alfonso VI of Castile. She was the granddaughter of King Robert II of France, the second monarch of the French Capetian dynasty...
, and played an important role in the conquest of modern Galicia, and the north of Portugal. In reward, Henry was married to King Alfonso's illegitimate daughter, Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa of Portugal was the first ruler of independent Portugal...
in 1093, receiving the County of Portugal
County of Portugal
The County of Portugal was the region around Braga and Porto, today corresponding to littoral northern Portugal, from the late ninth to the early twelfth century, during which it was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León.-History:...
, then a fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
of 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...
, as a dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
.
From Teresa, Henry had three sons and three daughters. The only son to survive childhood was Afonso Henriques
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...
, who became Count of Portugal in 1112. However, the young man Afonso was energetic and expanded his dominions at the expense of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s. In 1139, he declared himself King of Portugal after reneging the subjugation to León, in open confrontation with his mother. Two daughters also survived childhood, Urraca and Sancha. Urraca Henriques married Vermudo Pérez de Traba, Count of Trastámara
Trastámara
The House of Trastámara was a dynasty of kings in the Iberian Peninsula, which first governed in Castile beginning in 1369 before expanding its rule into Aragón, Navarre and Naples.They were a cadet illegitimate line of the House of Burgundy....
. Sancha Henriques married a nobleman, Sancho Nunes de Celanova; her son was Velasco Sánchez
Velasco Sánchez
Velasco or Blasco Sánchez was an Iberian nobleman who held various political and military offices under Afonso I of Portugal, Alfonso VIII of Castile, and Ferdinand II of León. He held the high rank of count from at least May 1159....
.