Castle of Moura

The Castle of Moura (Portuguese: Castelo de Moura) is a medieval castle located in Moura municipality, in the Beja district of Portugal.

Castle of Moura
Castelo de Moura
General information
Architectural style Gothic
Location Moura municipality, in the Beja district of Portugal.
Coordinates 38°08′37″N 7°27′05″W / 38.1436°N 7.4514°W / 38.1436; -7.4514Coordinates: 38°08′37″N 7°27′05″W / 38.1436°N 7.4514°W / 38.1436; -7.4514
Construction started 1295
Design and construction
Architect King Dinis

History

Early history

It is believed that the early human occupation of the site dates back to a fortress from the Iron Age. The site later was successively occupied by the Romans, the Visigoths and Muslims, who turned the town and city as the capital of Al-Manijah province, as the various archaeological evidence currently collected the Municipal Museum of Moura. The construction of the Muslim fortification in rammed earth, will date from the mid-eleventh century to the beginning of the twelfth century, which came in a few traces, as the call Tower of Salúquia.

Medieval era

During the context of the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the village was first conquered in 1166 by brothers Pedro and Alvaro Rodrigues and almost lost then. The site shifted control between Portugal and the moors until the forces under King Dinis finally won it for good.

While the village was under Portuguese rule, the first king of Portugal Afonso I (1112-1185) granted a Foral charter in 1171. The village charter was re-confirmed in 1217 by King Alfonso II (1211-1223).

Under the reign of King Dinis (1279-1325), the village received a new Foral Charter on December 9, 1295. The Foral also encouraged the reconstruction of castle.[1] The Charter was later extended to the Moorish community in 1296. The Foral charter also proceeded to initiate reconstruction of the castle, all the while taking advantage if the old Muslim walls.

Under the reign of Ferdinand (1367-1383), began a second surrounding walls, involving the new boundaries of the settlement, increased. When his death, opening the 1383-1385 crisis, the village and its castle sided by Beatrice.

Post-middle ages

During the context of the Portuguese War for Independence, the King determined that the needed some reparations.

Occupied during the Spanish War of Succession, the soldiers decided to blow up themselves, damaging the walls of the castle and Salúquia Tower). The castle suffered further damage from the 1755 earthquake.

19th century to modern era

The walls and structure suffered more damage, ranging from people who used the stone to people demolishing it for a mill.

The grounds of the Castle of Moura and the castle itself were purchased by James Romano 1915. The IGESPAR arm of the Portuguese governmentclassified the ruins of the Convent of Domincan nuns and the attached Church as a place of Public Interest by Decree published on 27 March, 1944. During the 1950s, IGESPAR began the intervention of the government through the Directorate General of National Buildings and Monuments (DGEMN), a restoration campaign that extended to the next two decades. In 1981, it was proceeded archaeological surveys within the perimeter of the set, having carried out repair work and recovery in 1982 and between 1985 and 1986. More recently, in 2002, the IGESPAR proceeded to conduct some landscape enhancement works of the castle surroundings[2]

Architecture

The castle sits on a limestone elevation of 184 meters above sea level. The castle superstructure has a fortress protected by a keep in oval plant, with maximum dimensions amounting to 200 x 100 meters. Inside contain the ruins of the Nuns Convent of Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Assumption (abandoned since 1875) and the attached church that was erected from 1562 on the site of the early Church. Both are next to the entrance to the citadel.

The fortress is accessed by a door at the Southeast corner. The set is dominated by keep. Both the keep, In some sections of wall, some parts of the battlement remain. The outer fence is enhanced by quadrangular towers and circular.

The keep, constructed with Gothic architecture style, has on the second floor has an octagonal plant room (Room of Mayors) covered by rib vault of warheads, based on eight columns slender stem.[3]

The bastion line of the seventeenth century shows plant in starry format, with rampant wall (in alambor), originally surrounded by moat

Legend of the Moorish Salúquia

There is a legend of Moorish Salúquia attached to the city of Moura. According to legend, the princess Salúquia, daughter of Abu-Hassan and governor of the city, fell in love with Brafam, the Moorish mayor of Aroche. On the eve of the marriage, Brafma went to another city, but it was already conquered by the Christians. Pedro Rodriguez, a local warlord and aware of the marriage preparations were underway, he and his Christian knights found the entourage of Aroche and slew the entire party.

Even with this, King Afonso I of Portugal commissioned two gentlemen and killed Brafama.[4] The knights took the robes of Aroche and dressed like Muslim representatives, heading to the city. Salúquia was at the castle tower top, expecting her soon-to-be husband, and when she saw the entourage, she ordered the gates to be opened. True to their Trojan horse ruse, the Christians went in and took the city by surprise and easily conquered the castle. Seeing that her husband was most likely murdered, Salúquia took the keys and jumped off the tower. Moved by the story of love, the brothers renamed the city Earth of Moura for Salúquia. The name over time evolved to Salúquia. The Salúquia Tower that still stands, and the love grove next to it, where the ambush took place, ist still called Brafama of Aroche. There is still a burial ground for a Moorish Salúquia.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Moura Castle - Places to visit - Castles and Forts - Portugal - Lifecooler". en.lifecooler.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  2. ↑ "DGPC | Pesquisa Geral". www.patrimoniocultural.pt. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  3. ↑ "Moura Castle - Places to visit - Castles and Forts - Portugal - Lifecooler". en.lifecooler.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  4. ↑ "Moura Castle". www.portugaltravel.org. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  5. ↑ "Moura - Portugal - Alentejo - Tourism". www.portugalvirtual.pt. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
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