Portugal

Portugal is derived from two words, "porto" and "calle;" the mouth of the river Tagus was the most southern port of Christian Spain; "calle" means way, or road. It was through this province that the port was reached, and so was called Porto-Calle, "the way to the port," later contracted into Portugal.

One of the many fortune-seeking nobles of Europe who flocked to Spain in the Middle Ages to help fight the infidels, but chiefly to better their own fortunes, was Count Henry of Burgundy. He was eminently successful against the Moors, and, as a reward, obtained the hand of the daughter of Alfonso VI. of Leon, with the province of Portugal as her dowry. He extended his province and bequeathed it, with the title "Count of Portugal," to his son, Alfonso Henriques. Alfonso Henriques proved a formidable power against the Moors, and disdaining any longer to be called the viceroy of a Spanish king, he threw off his allegiance, and proclaimed himself "King of Portugal" in 1139, his claim and title being confirmed by the Pope. The house of Burgundy then extended Portugal to its present limits, and raised the kingdom to a high state of commercial and political importance. It maintained its independence until 1580, when the succession to the throne became a matter of dispute, and was claimed and gained by Philip II., of Spain, whose mother was of the blood-royal of Portugal. The Spanish domination of Portugal lasted until 1640, and this period is still called by Portuguese the "Sixty Years' Captivity." In 1640 Portugal arose in its might against Spanish rule and proclaimed the Duke of Braganza their king, under the title of Joan (John) IV. The new king was acknowledged by foreign powers, and the House of Braganza has ruled Portugal ever since, except for ten months, from November, 1807, to August, 1808, when (because Portugal had refused to close her ports to English commerce) Napoleon marched in and took possession, declaring that "the House of Braganza had ceased to reign in Europe." The Court fled to Brazil, until, with the aid of England, under Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington), the French were driven out. This brief historical review shows that the Kingdom of Portugal is about 750 years old. Its territory is about 300 miles long and 100 miles wide.