The Founding of Europe’s Oldest Nation — Portugal

How a young boy waged war against his mother and founded Europe’s oldest nation.

Origins

Most young teenagers have contemptuous relationships with their parents. As children enter puberty, the desire for freedom arises, and parental figures are viewed as ruthless and unfair rulers of a life children wish to lead themselves. I recall being a twelve or thirteen years old, defying my curfew, drinking a couple of beers, and thinking myself to be quite the rebel for doing so.

All of my acts of youthful revolution pales in comparison to that of the founder of Portugal — Sir Afonso Henriques.

To begin, Sir Afonso Henriques’s father, Count Henrique De Borgonha, was granted the position of Count of the Condado Portucalense (County of Portucalense) for his efforts in the war alongside Christian forces against the Moors of the Iberian Peninsula. The County of Portucalense consisted of only a small section of what is today North-Western Portugal, (the area of Braga, Porto, and Guimarães, three cities which continue to exist over a thousand years later) and Guimarães was the capitol.

After being granted this position of power in the county that was ruled by the Kingdom of Galicia (who in turn was ruled by the…