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History of Amieira do Tejo |
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Escrito por Administrator
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Sexta, 24 Fevereiro 2006 |
Regardless of bigger and later on inhabited locations, it is not certain how far in time should we take the search for the origin of ancient inhabited places and surroundings of Amieira do Tejo.
It is however certain the existence of megalithic settlements, which in a way justify the traditional names maintained by certain places, justifiable only by the existence of megalithic tombs or dolmens.
At the place named «Do Gago» (Stutterers Place) there is a land strip named “Anta” (Dolmen) where some of those ancient monuments still exist nowadays but only with three vertical stones and without the horizontal covering stone. Another seems to have existed at the «Monte das Figueiras» (Fig Trees Hill).
No doubt the Romans passed through Amieira because of coins of those days found there. Some years ago gold coins and lead pieces, probably from domestic tools, were found at the place named «Do Gago» (Stutterers Place).
It is also well known that the colonisation and development of lands South of Tejo River, bordering Beira Baixa Province and now belonging to Portalegre Region started by the time Portugal was already an independent nation, or probably even before those days. This development was greatly influenced by the Order of the Temple, later on known by the Knigths of Christ.
In fact, the Master of the Order of the Temple had his house in Castelo Branco and ruled over the villages of Aviz, Niza, Montalvão and Alpalhão on the South side of Tejo River. The nearby village of Vila Flor was ruled by the Templars. Thus, if Amieira was not ruled by the Templars it must have felt the influence of their neighbouring actions.
Some time after the Order of the Temple, the Military Order of the Hospital, which was introduced in the days of king D.Afonso Henriques, received in 1194 from king D.Sancho I the lands were nowadays are the village and the castle of Belver. From king D.Sancho II they received in 1232 an enormous extension of land on which the construction of a new village named Crato was immediately started and would become the ruling centre of those lands.
Within these lands, which will eventually become a part of the Pryorship of Crato, was located Amieira, considered to be one of the most intrinsically important villages and a strategically valuable reason for it’s later on built castle.
Belver seems to have been around 1356 the head office of the Order of Malta in Portugal before it has been moved to Flôr da Rosa and after being located in Leça do Balio. Before the times of D.Sancho I, one Joanne-Annes and his wife donated to the Lord of Belver a house they had at Amieira, which proves the existence of Amieira as a village in those days. And a quite important village it must have been since José Anastácio de Figueiredo makes reference to it in a court sentence related with an inherited property in Amieira.
In 1356 D.Fr.Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira settles in the castle built by him at Flôr da Rosa and all the lands over which he ruled were worthy of his care, specially Amieira on which, by strategical reasons, he built a majestic castle still worth visiting. On this castle he passed a great deal of his time and there he passed away of old age in 1382 or 1382.
Quite before that time one of the Pryors of Crato, supposed by José Anastácio de Figueiredo to be Fr.D.Gonçalo Viegas (born 1256) or Fr.D.Afonso Pires, both living during the ruling of king D.Afonso III, gave Amieira its Privilege Law, later on confirmed by king D.Manuel I in 15th November 1512.
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Última Actualização ( Quinta, 09 Março 2006 )
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