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84-622: The town of Tomar was created inside the walls of the Convento de Cristo , constructed under the orders of Gualdim de Pais , the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal in the late 12th century. Tomar was the last Templar town to be commissioned for construction and one of Portugal's historical jewels. The town was especially important in the 15th century when it was a center of Portuguese overseas expansion under Henry

168-641: A 12th-century Templar stronghold , when the order was dissolved in the 14th century the Portuguese branch was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ , that later supported Portugal's maritime discoveries of the 15th century. The convent and castle complex are a historic and cultural monument and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The castle was founded by the Order of Poor Knights of

252-604: A Tribunal of the Portuguese Inquisition by the initiative of the clergy in the town. Under persecution, wealthier Jews fled, while most others were forced to convert. Hundreds of both Jews and New Christians were arrested, tortured and about 1,000 were executed in autos da fé , in a frenzy of persecution that peaked around 1550. Many others (c. 38,000) were expropriated of their property or penance. Jewish ascendancy, more than Jewish religion, together with personal wealth determined who would be persecuted, since

336-456: A chessboard pattern, a rare feature for a mediaeval city, instituted by Prince Henry the Navigator, which later inspired the pattern used for the rebuilding of Lisbon after the earthquake in 1755. Scattered throughout the town there are many interesting houses with Renaissance , Baroque and Romantic façades. By the river Nabão, near the bridge, there is a park and garden that offer views of

420-531: A mix of late gothic and renaissance that would be called Manueline style by art historians. The architects involved were the Portuguese Diogo de Arruda and the Spaniard Juan de Castillo ( João de Castilho ). From the outside, the rectangular nave is covered by abundant Manueline motifs, including gargoyles, gothic pinnacles, statues and "ropes" that remind the ones used in the ships during

504-498: A personal interest in the expansion of exports. He set up regular markets in a number of towns and regulated their activities. One of his principal achievements was to protect agricultural lands from advancing coastal sands by ordering the planting of a pine forest near Leiria , which also provided a source of raw materials for construction of a naval fleet. This forest, known as the Pinhal de Leiria (Leiria Pinewood), still exists, and

588-466: A rational, geometrical fashion, as they can still be seen today. In 1438, King Duarte , who had fled Lisbon because of the Black Death , died here. Just after 1492 with the expulsion of Jews from Spain , the town increased further with Jewish refugee artisans and traders. The very large Jewish minority dynamized the city with new trades and skills. Their experience was vital in the success of

672-404: A source of raw materials for the construction of the royal ships. He was also known for his poetry, which constitutes an important contribution to the development of Portuguese as a literary language. In 1290, Denis began to pursue the systematic centralisation of royal power by imposing judicial reforms, decreeing Portuguese "the official language of legal and judicial proceedings", creating

756-697: A surrounding gallery ( ambulatory ). The general shape of the church is modelled after similar round structures in Jerusalem : the Mosque of Omar and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . The capitals of the columns are still Romanesque (end of the 12th century) and depict vegetal and animal motifs, as well as a Daniel in the Lions' Den scene. The style of the capitals shows the influence of artists working on

840-485: Is a curious fact, as he was the first of the Portuguese royal line up to that time to have that hair color. This genetic trait could have been passed on the maternal side, as his uncle Ferdinand , called "La Cerda", or "the bristly one", had red hair as well. Denis may have inherited the trait from Henry II of England , who was his ancestor on both the paternal and maternal sides, or even possibly from his maternal great-grandmother Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen , granddaughter of

924-496: Is an important conservation area. The latter part of Denis' generally peaceful reign was nevertheless marked by internal conflicts. The contenders were his two sons: Afonso , the legitimate heir, and Afonso Sanches , his bastard son, who quarreled frequently among themselves for royal favour. At the time of Denis' death in 1325, he had placed Portugal on an equal footing with the other Iberian Kingdoms. Afonso, born in Lisbon ,

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1008-400: Is covered by beautiful ribbed vaulting and has a high choir that used to have Manueline choir stalls, unfortunately destroyed by invading Napoleonic troops in the early 19th century. Under the high choir there is a room that used to be the sacristy of the church. Its window is the famous Chapter House Window already mentioned. The Convent of Christ has a total of eight cloisters , built in

1092-704: Is one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Portugal . In 1581, after a succession crisis , the Portuguese Nobility gathered in the Convent of Christ in Tomar and officially recognised Philip II of Spain (Philip I of Portugal) as King. This is the beginning of the Iberian Union (1581–1640), during which the Crowns of Portugal and Spain were united in a dynastic union . The aqueduct of

1176-770: The Age of Discovery , as well as the Cross of the Order of Christ and the emblem of King Manuel I, the armillary sphere . The so-called Window of the Chapter House ( Janela do Capítulo ), a huge window visible from the Saint Barbara Cloister in the Western façade of the nave, carries most of the typical Manueline motifs: the symbols of the Order of Christ and of Manuel I, and fantastic and unprecedented elaborations of ropes, corals and vegetal motifs. A human figure in

1260-551: The Algarve . The treaty also established an alliance of friendship and mutual defense, leading to a peace of 40 years between the two nations. Denis pursued his father's policies on legislation and centralisation of power, and promulgated the nucleus of a Portuguese civil and criminal law code, protecting the lower classes from abuse and extortion. These edicts survived in the Livro das Leis e Posturas (Book of Laws and Postures), and

1344-479: The Cathedral of Coimbra , which was being built at the same time as the round church. The interior of the round church is magnificently decorated with late gothic/manueline sculpture and paintings, added during a renovation sponsored by King Manuel I starting in 1499. The pillars of the central octagon and the walls of the ambulatory have polychrome statues of saints and angels under exuberant Gothic canopies, while

1428-561: The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (" barbarossa " means "red beard" in Italian). In 2016, the tomb of the king was opened for the first time since 1938. Initially a restoration work, the tomb became the subject of research. A physiognomic report of the king is expected to be published in the future. Among other artefacts, the king's sword was retrieved from the tomb; it was found to be in

1512-593: The Infante , Denis was prevented from killing his son through the intervention of the Queen. As legend holds, in 1323, Elizabeth, mounted on a mule, positioned herself between the opposing armies on the field of the Battle of Alvalade in order to prevent the combat. Peace returned in 1324 when Afonso Sanches was sent into exile and the Infante swore loyalty to the king. King Denis died on 7 January 1325 at Santarém , and

1596-494: The Ordenações Afonsinas (Afonsine Ordinances), proclaimed during the reign of Afonso V . These are not legislative "codes" as we understand them today, but rather compilations of laws and customary municipal law, as amended and restated by the Portuguese crown. As king, Denis travelled around the country to resolve various problems. He ordered the construction of numerous castles, created new towns, and granted

1680-467: The Order of Christ . The seat of the former Knights Templar was converted in 1357 into the seat of this new order. As a result, at about the first half of the 15th century, work was completed to adapt the Templar oratory, introducing an open choir to the western niche, about half-way up the wall. What remains of this adaptation was the colonnade frame with interior arch. At the same time the main palace

1764-593: The Tagus River . But, following the dissolution of the Templar Order, on 14 March 1319, and following the request of King Denis of Portugal , Pope John XXII instituted the Order of Christ . The seat of the former Knights Templar was converted in 1357 into the seat of this new order. The famous round church ( rotunda ) of the castle of Tomar was also built in the second half of the 12th century. The church, like some other templar churches throughout Europe,

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1848-484: The city of seven hills , as the seven hills of Jerusalem , the seven hills of Rome or the seven columns of Constantinople . The foral or feudal contract was granted in 1162 by the Grand Master to the people. The Templars ruled from Tomar a vast region of central Portugal which they pledged to defend from Moorish attacks and raids. Like many lords of the unpopulated former frontier region of central Portugal,

1932-578: The 15th and 16th centuries. Some examples: Dinis Denis ( Latin : Dionysius , Portuguese : Dinis or Diniz , IPA: [diˈniʃ] ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325), called the Farmer King ( Rei Lavrador ) and the Poet King ( Rei Poeta ), was King of Portugal . The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile , and grandson of Afonso II of Portugal , Denis succeeded his father in 1279. He

2016-413: The 18th century Tomar was one of the first regions of Portugal to develop industry. In the reign of Maria I , with royal support, a textile factory of Jácome Ratton was established against the opposition of the Order. The hydraulic resources of the river Nabão were used to supply energy to this and many other factories, namely paper factories, foundries, glassworks, silks and soaps. Tomar was occupied by

2100-449: The Convent was built during this period (aqueduct completed in 1614). The castle and Convent of Christ have examples of Romanesque , Gothic , Manueline and Renaissance architectural styles. The castle of Tomar was built around 1160 on a strategic location, over a hill and near river Nabão. It has an outer defensive wall and a citadel ( alcáçova ) with a keep inside. The Keep, a central tower of residential and defensive functions,

2184-795: The English king Henry VII ). The entrance of the church is done through a magnificent lateral portal, also decorated with abundant Manueline motifs and statues of the Virgin with the Child as well as the Prophets of the Old Testament. This portal was designed by João de Castilho c. 1530. In the interior, the Manueline nave is connected to the Romanesque round church by a large arch. The nave

2268-553: The French during the Peninsular War , against which it rebelled. The Duke of Wellington , with his Portuguese and English troops, liberated the city afterwards. In 1834 all the religious orders, including the Order of Christ, were disbanded. Tomar is twinned with: Tomar attracts many tourists because of its varied monuments. These include: The streets and squares of the picturesque centre of Tomar are organised following

2352-638: The Italian "Pezagno") as hereditary admiral of his fleet , with the understanding that Pessanha and his successors should provide twenty Genoese captains to command the king's galleys, thus effectively founding the Portuguese Navy . In 1289 Denis had signed the Concordat of Forty Articles with Pope Nicholas IV , swearing to protect the Church's interests in Portugal. When Pope Clement V allowed

2436-516: The King soon proclaimed by edict that all the Jews remaining within the territory of Portugal would be after a short period considered Christians, although simultaneously he forbade them to leave, fearing that the exodus of Jewish men of knowledge and capital would harm Portugal's burgeoning commercial empire. Jews were largely undisturbed as nominal Christians for several decades, until the establishment of

2520-624: The Navigator , the Grand Master of the Order of Christ , successor organization to the Knights Templar in Portugal. Tomar lies in the most fertile region of Portugal, and one of the most fertile in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula : the Ribatejo ("by the river Tagus ") meadows. It is located in the district of Santarém . The predominant landscape is agricultural, consisting of olive , pine and fig trees. The seat of

2604-681: The Pope and the (lay) Master or Governor by the King, instead of being elected by the monks. Henry the Navigator was made the Governor of the Order, and it is believed that he used the resources and knowledge of the Order to succeed in his enterprises in Africa and in the Atlantic. The Order of Christ Cross was painted in the sails of the caravels that crossed the seas, and the Catholic missions in

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2688-517: The Templar assets and property. During Denis' reign, Lisbon became one of Europe's centres of culture and learning. The first university in Portugal, then called the Estudo Geral (General Study), was founded with his signing of the document Scientiae thesaurus mirabilis in Leiria on 3 March 1290. Lectures in the arts, civil law, canon law, and medicine were given, and on 15 February 1309,

2772-461: The Temple (or Templar Knights) in 1118. Its construction continued until the final part of the 12th century with the construction of the oratory, in one of the angles of the castle, completed by the Grand Master D. Gualdim Pais (sometime around 1160). Around 1190 it was encircled and resisted the armies of caliph Abu Yusuf al-Mansur who was successful in taking strongholds in the south. (A plaque

2856-400: The ancient divisions of the country, i.e., the north and the south, enhanced Lisbon's status as the most practical centre for an emergent united Portuguese nation, the south now receiving as much royal attention as the north and becoming the residence of the monarchy. Their different characters created a realm where the two regions complemented each other. The great manors were closer together in

2940-400: The annihilation of the Knights Templar throughout most of Europe on charges of heresy, Denis created in 1319 a Portuguese military order, the Order of Christ , for those knights who survived the purge. The new order was designed to be a continuation of the Order of the Temple . Denis negotiated with Clement's successor, John XXII , for recognition of the new order and its right to inherit

3024-462: The bottom of the window probably represents the designer, Diogo de Arruda. This window of the Convent constitutes one of the masterworks of Manueline decoration. Above is a smaller circular window and a balustrade. The façade is divided by two string courses of knotted ropes. The round angle buttresses are decorated with gigantic garters (alluding to investiture of Manuel I by the Order of the Garter by

3108-630: The city and surroundings. Tomar has several schools including primary, junior high school, high schools and a polytechnic. These include: The municipal holiday day is March 1, and commemorates the day when the Templars' Master D. Gualdim founded the Templar City in 1160. Convento de Cristo The Convent of Christ ( Portuguese : Convento de Cristo/Mosteiro de Cristo ) is a former Catholic convent in Tomar , Portugal . Originally

3192-571: The convent (sometime around 1492), with 3,500 reis being spent on the public works in 1499: the chapterhouse, main altar, ironworks for the niche/archway, paintings and sculptures (for the same) and the choir were all expanded or remodelled. A new meeting of the Chapter to reform the Order, ordered by the King 1503, expropriated the old Vila de Dentro, within the walls and closed the Sun Gate and Almedina Gate . On 11 October 1504, Francisco Lopes

3276-456: The country to the Order of Christ, specially created for this purpose. Denis was essentially an administrator and not a warrior king. He went to war with the kingdom of Castile in 1295, relinquishing the villages of Serpa and Moura. In 1297, he signed the Treaty of Alcañices with Castile, which defined the current borders between the two Iberian countries, and reaffirmed Portugal's possession of

3360-501: The country's infrastructure, he encouraged the discovery and exploitation of sulphur , silver , tin and iron mines and organised the export of excess production of agricultural crops, salt, and salted fish to England, Flanders, and France. Denis signed the first Portuguese commercial agreement with England in 1308, and secured a contract in 1317 for the services of the Genoese merchant sailor Manuel Pessanha (Portuguese form of

3444-466: The courts, show that a merely nominal power of the monarchy over all the inhabitants of the kingdom, as was typical in the Middle Ages , was not compatible with his effort to assert a royal prerogative to scrutinise legal procedures or moralise on the exercise of justice. The appointment of magistrates clearly marks the start of the process of the crown claiming territorial jurisdiction, thus expanding

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3528-739: The development of troubador poetry in the Iberian Peninsula. All told, 137 of the songs attributed to him, in the three main genres of Galician-Portuguese lyric , are preserved in the two early 16th-century manuscripts, the Cancioneiro da Biblioteca Nacional and the Cancioneiro da Vaticana . A spectacular find in 1990 by American scholar Harvey Sharrer brought to light the Pergaminho Sharrer , which contains, albeit in fragmentary form, seven cantigas d'amor by King Denis with musical notation . These poems are found in

3612-611: The expropriations reverted to the institution of the Inquisition itself. With the persecution of its merchants and professionals Tomar lost most of its relevance as a trading centre. New Christian names among the inhabitants are very common today. In 1581 the city was the seat of the Portuguese Cortes (feudal parliament) which acclaimed the King of Spain Felipe II as Portugal's Filipe I (see Iberian Union ). During

3696-555: The first university in Portugal, and ridding the military orders in the country of foreign influences. His policies encouraged economic development with the creation of numerous towns and trade fairs. He advanced the interests of the Portuguese merchants, and set up by mutual agreement a fund called the Bolsa de Comércio , the first documented form of marine insurance in Europe, approved on 10 May 1293. Always concerned with development of

3780-402: The headquarters of the Order in Portugal. Local traditional legends preach that the choice was for mystical reasons and by divine inspiration, and from practices by the Grand Master of geomancy , based on exercises taken from luck and predestination. Reinforcing this magical view is the setting of the site among a small chain of seven elevations ( lugar dos sete montes ), which became known as

3864-466: The historian Duarte Nunes de Leão in 1600. The historical sources of King Denis's time, as well as later authors, failed to provide any detailed physical description of the monarch. The information known comes from an accidental opening of his tomb during a restoration in 1938. It was discovered that the legend of a figure of towering height was not an accurate one as he was only about 1.65 metres (5 feet 5 inches) tall. Denis made his will when he

3948-430: The increasing dependence of the military orders on the royal power. He was recognized as an intelligent, perceptive ruler with demonstrated success, both by contemporaries and by later historians. Denis was not lacking in political skill. Being adroit in negotiation and a student of human nature, he knew how to go about "opposing and appeasing alternately the secular and the ecclesiastical manorial interests. He confiscated

4032-552: The king granted the university a charter, the Magna Charta Privilegiorum . The university was moved between Lisbon and Coimbra several times, and finally installed permanently in Coimbra in 1537 by order of King John III . As a devotee of the arts and sciences, Denis studied literature and wrote several books on topics ranging from government administration to hunting, science and poetry, as well as ordering

4116-422: The king, whom he accused of favouring Afonso Sanches. Denis had little popular support in the war because of the many privileges he had granted to the nobles in the last years of his reign, while the Infante had the support of the county's cities; these circumstances were rooted in the longstanding conflict between the upper and lower classes of Portuguese society. Repulsed to the town of Alenquer , which supported

4200-635: The knights and their 72-year-old leader, Gualdim Pais , kept them at bay. A plaque commemorates this bloody battle at the Porta do Sangue at the Castelo Templário (Castle of Tomar). In 1314, under pressure from the Pope Clement V , the order was suppressed. Philip IV of France , who owed the Templars huge debts, held the pope a virtual prisoner and coerced him to suppress the order on bases of false accusations and forced confessions. The Order

4284-448: The legislative work of his reign focused on procedural juridical issues, the purpose of much of this new legislation was to avoid excessive delays and court costs and to prevent abuse by attorneys and prosecutors. The personal determination that allowed Denis to achieve so much in the political realm could sometimes harden into obstinacy and arrogance. He was described occasionally as cruel, especially in family relations, shown for example in

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4368-422: The life of the poor and found several social institutions. The frequent procedural issues that arose when he issued his decrees increasingly occupied Denis in his quest to frame the common law as being within the scope of the crown's jurisdiction, and in exercising royal power in the realm. The restrictions he placed on the actions of alvazis (local council officials), judges, as well as proctors and advocates in

4452-504: The many centuries that separate Denis from the present, an impression of his personality can be gathered from the historical record: he was determined, even obstinate, in his attempts to systematically centralise the government and consolidate royal power. For example, he launched general inquiries ( Inquirições gerais ) at a remarkably accelerated pace to investigate land ownership and identify cases where abuses were committed. Denis revealed early on his ability as an effective strategist in

4536-636: The modern city lies the Roman city of Sellium . After the conquest of the region from the Moors in the Portuguese Reconquista , the land was granted in 1159 as a fief to the Order of the Knights Templar . In 1160, Gualdim Pais , the Order's Grand master in Portugal and Tomar's somewhat mythical founder, laid the first stone of the Castle and Convent of the Knights Templar that would become

4620-457: The municipality is the city of Tomar, which comprises the parishes of Santa Maria dos Olivais and São João Batista. Tomar is also the capital of the Médio Tejo (Mid- Tagus river) region. The Nabão River cuts across what was the ancient city of Nabantia: its inhabitants are called Nabantinos . Administratively, the municipality is divided into 11 civil parishes ( freguesias ): Under

4704-487: The new lands were under the authority of the Tomar clerics until 1514. Henry, enriched by his overseas enterprises, was the first ruler to improve the buildings of the Convento de Cristo since their construction by Gualdim Pais. He also ordered dams to be built to control the Nabão River and swamps to be drained. This allowed the burgeoning town to attract more settlers. Henry ordered the new streets to be designed in

4788-523: The new trade routes with Africa. The original synagogue, the Synagogue of Tomar still stands. In the reign of Manuel I of Portugal the convent took its final form within the Manueline renaissance style. With the growing importance of the town as master of Portugal's overseas empire, the leadership of the Order was granted to the King by the Pope. However, under pressure from the monarchs of Spain,

4872-463: The north, and the vast dominions conquered from the Muslims in the south, as well as the large areas of unclaimed land there, expanded the domain of the crown, and much of the territory of the extreme south came under the control of the military orders. Denis promoted development of the rural infrastructure, earning the nickname of "the Farmer" ( o Lavrador ). He redistributed land, founded agricultural schools to improve farming techniques, and took

4956-417: The privileges due cities to several others. He declared in 1290 that 'the language of the people' was to become the language of the state, and officially known as Portuguese . Denis also decreed that Portuguese replace Latin as the language of the law courts in his kingdom. His wife Elizabeth donated much of the large income generated by her lands and properties to charities, inspiring Denis to help improve

5040-424: The properties of the clergy, but made the concordat [of 1289] with the Portuguese bishops; he restricted the comedoria (victuals) rights of the monasteries, but replaced those rights with a fixed annual sum of money. His actions were sufficiently [statesmanlike, and his political position was strong] enough, for him to secure the confiscation laws and check the erosion of the state patrimony". As administration of

5124-408: The protective outer walls of the castle. The Romanesque round church is a Catholic Church from the castle ( charola , rotunda ) was built in the second half of the 12th century by the Knights Templar. From the outside, the church is a 16-side polygonal structure, with strong buttresses, round windows and a belltower. Inside, the round church has a central, octagonal structure, connected by arches to

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5208-408: The pursuit of his goals, and as an innovator of proactive legislative policy. With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that his administrative decisions were not made randomly or without consideration of his ideal of a well-governed nation. The wide range of his policies is indicated by a few examples: the concomitant creation of new towns and trade fairs, the fortification of the country's borders and

5292-454: The royal domain, along with the growing importance of Lisbon as the nation's de facto capital. The preference for Lisbon as a venue of the royal court was accentuated during Denis's long reign. There was as yet no official capital of the country, but Lisbon's location, as well as its advanced urban, economic and commercial development, made the city the most viable choice for a national centre of administration. Its geographical situation between

5376-437: The royal properties became more efficient and he became richer, Denis gained fame for his wealth, even being mentioned in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy , where he was called Dionysus Agricola, and described among those condemned by the Eagle, in the Sixth Sphere , though the exact reason for this condemnation is unknown. Nevertheless, Denis is described in contemporary chronicles as a wise and able ruler. Although most of

5460-455: The same order in the two previously known codices. King Denis was fond of hunting and in 1294 was hunting around Beja, when a bear attacked him and his horse, bringing them to the ground. It is said that he attacked the beast single-handedly and killed him with a dagger. To commemorate the incident, the king had a live bear captured and taken to his palace of Fuellas for the amusement of the gentlemen and ladies of his court. As heir-apparent to

5544-402: The start of his reign. Several years later he issued another decree forbidding them to inherit the estates of recruits to the orders. In 1288, Denis managed to persuade Pope Nicholas IV to issue a papal bull that separated the Order of Santiago in Portugal from that in Castile, to which it had been subordinate. With the extinction of the Knights Templar, he was able to transfer their assets in

5628-409: The throne, Denis was summoned by his father Afonso III to share governmental responsibilities. The country was again in conflict with the Catholic Church at the time, Afonso having been excommunicated in 1277, and only being absolved in 1279 when he acceded to Rome's demands on his deathbed. Consequently, the church was favorably inclined to reach an agreement with the new monarch upon his accession to

5712-463: The throne. In 1284, however, Denis emulated the example of his grandfather and father, and launched a new series of inquiries to investigate the expropriation of royal property; this was to the detriment of the church. The next year he took further steps against ecclesiastical power when he promulgated amortisation laws. These prohibited the church and religious orders from buying lands, and required that they sell or forfeit any they had purchased since

5796-409: The translation of many literary works into Galician-Portuguese (Portuguese had not yet fully evolved into a distinct language), among them the works attributed to his grandfather Alfonso X. He patronised troubadours , and wrote lyric poetry in the troubadour tradition himself. His best-known work is the Cantigas de Amigo , a collection of love songs as well as satirical songs, which contributed to

5880-508: The villagers were given relatively liberal conditions in comparison with those of the northern regions of Portugal, in order to attract new immigrants. Those inhabitants who could sustain a horse were obliged to pay military service in return for privileges. They were not allowed the title of Knight which was reserved to the Templars . Women were also admitted to the Order, although they did not fight. In 1190 Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur , an Almohad caliph , and his army attacked Tomar . However

5964-449: The walls and ceilings of the ambulatory are painted with Gothic patterns and panels depicting the life of Christ. The paintings are attributed to the workshop of the court painter of Manuel I, the Portuguese Jorge Afonso , while the sculptured decoration is attributed to Flemish sculptor Olivier de Gand and the Spaniard Hernán Muñoz . A magnificent panel depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian , by Portuguese painter Gregório Lopes ,

6048-422: The way he dealt with his legitimate son and rightful heir, Afonso (never his favourite), and his wife, Elizabeth, to whom he turned over the children born of his infidelities, leaving her the responsibility of their care and education. An inescapable figure in the history of the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th and the beginning of the 14th centuries, Denis was first called "father of his country" ( Pai da Pátria ) by

6132-422: Was 61 and died at age 63. He apparently enjoyed excellent health throughout his life, as he traveled frequently, got involved in wars from an early age and at age 60 still hunted. He died with complete dentition, a rarity for the time, something that even today continues to be fairly unusual. A distinctive feature of his physiognomy revealed by examination of the body was that his hair and beard were auburn. This

6216-581: Was buried in the Monastery of Saint Denis in Odivelas , near Lisbon. Afonso then became king, whereupon he exiled his rival to Castile , and stripped him of all the lands and fiefdoms bestowed by their father. From Castile, Afonso Sanches orchestrated a series of attempts to usurp the crown. After he failed several times to mount an invasion of Portugal, the brothers signed a peace treaty, arranged by Afonso IV's mother Queen Elizabeth . Bearing in mind

6300-526: Was constructed. During the internship of Prince Henry the Navigator as its leader (1417–1450), the Order of Christ initiated the construction of two cloisters under the direction of master Fernão Gonçalves: the Claustro do Cemitério ( Cemetery Cloister ) and Claustro das Lavagens ( Washing Cloister ). Prior to these large works, Henry began work on constructing the Chapel of São Jorge sometime in 1426 and

6384-403: Was erected near the entrance to the castle to commemorate this event). During the second quarter of the 13th century, Tomar was transferred into the control of the Templars, becoming its seat. The castle became an integral part of the defence system created by the Templars to secure the border of the young Christian Kingdom against the Moors , which at the time occupied the area to approximately

6468-468: Was introduced in Portugal by the Templars, and the one in Tomar is one of the oldest in the country. Another novelty introduced in Portugal by the Templars (learned from decades of experience in Normandy and Brittany and elsewhere) are the round towers in the outer walls, which are more resistant to attacks than square towers. When the town was founded, most of its residents lived in dwellings located inside

6552-476: Was married to Elizabeth of Aragon , who was later canonised as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church . Denis ruled Portugal for over 46 years. He worked to reorganise his country's economy and gave an impetus to Portuguese agriculture. He ordered the planting of a large pine forest (that still exists today) near Leiria to prevent the soil degradation that threatened the region and to serve as

6636-705: Was modelled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem , which was believed by the crusaders to be a remnant of the Temple of Solomon . The Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem may also have served as model. Following the dissolution of the Templar Order, on 14 March 1319 (following the request of King Denis of Portugal ), Pope John XXII instituted the Order of Christ . The Templar order had been suppressed during most of Europe from 1312 to 1314, but in Portugal its members, assets, and partly its membership were transferred to

6720-428: Was nominated as masterbuilder for the project, by King John III , receiving 8$ 000 reis annually and 120 reis for meals. By 1506, D. Manuel decided to order the construction of the church's nave . The successor of Manuel I, King John III , demilitarised the order, turning it into a more religious order with a rule based on that of Bernard of Clairvaux . He also ordered the construction of a new cloister in 1557, which

6804-526: Was painted for the Round Church and now hangs in the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon . During the administration of Prince Henry the Navigator (first half of the 15th century), a gothic nave was added to the round church of the Convent, thus turning the round church into a church apse . From 1510 onwards, King Manuel I ordered the rebuilding of the nave in the style of the time,

6888-460: Was responsible for urban improvements in the town of Tomar. In 1484, King D. Manuel (who became Master of the Order in 1484 and King of Portugal in 1495) ordered the construction of a sacristy (today the Hall of Passage), that connected the choir to the Chapel of São Jorge, linking the choir with the wall of the stronghouse. By the end of the century, the convent's General Chapter, decided to expand

6972-480: Was suppressed in most of Europe and its holdings were to be transferred to the Knights Hospitaler . Instead, King Dinis negotiated the transfer of the Order's possessions and personnel in Portugal to a newly created Order of Christ . This Order moved in 1319 to Castro Marim , but in 1356 it returned to Tomar. In the 15th century and thereafter, the (ordained) Grand Master of the Order was nominated by

7056-401: Was the rightful heir to the Portuguese throne. However, he was not Denis' favourite son, the old king preferring Afonso Sanches, his illegitimate son by Aldonça Rodrigues Talha. The notorious rivalry between the half brothers led to civil war several times. Elizabeth would serve as intermediary between her husband and Afonso during the civil war of 1322–1324. Infante Afonso greatly resented

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