Page "Afonso I of Portugal" Paragraph 3

Afonso, born in 1109, took the title of Prince after taking the throne of his mother, supported by the generality of the Portuguese nobility who disliked the alliance between Galicia and Portugal Countess Theresa had come to, marrying a second time the most powerful Galician count.

In 1120, the young prince took the side of Paio Mendes da Maia, the Archbishop of Braga, a political foe of Theresa, and both were exiled by her orders.

In 1122 Afonso became fourteen, the adult age in the 12th century.

He made himself a knight on his own account in the Cathedral of Zamora, raised an army, and proceeded to take control of his mother's lands.

Near Guimarães, at the Battle of São Mamede ( 1128 ) he overcame the troops under his mother's second husband and ally Count Fernando Peres de Trava of Galicia, exiling her forever to a monastery in Galicia.

Thus the possibility of re-incorporating Portugal ( up to then Southern Galicia ) into a Kingdom of Portugal and Galicia as before was eliminated and Afonso became sole ruler ( Duke of Portugal ) after demands for independence from the county's church and nobles.

He also vanquished Alfonso VII of León, came to the rescue of his mother, whose nephew he was, and thus freed the kingdom from political dependence on the crown of his cousin of León.

On 6 April 1129, Afonso Henriques dictated the writ in which he proclaimed himself Prince of Portugal.