Castle of Tavira

Although the early human occupation of the region dates back to prehistoric times, an archaeological campaign undertaken in 1997 revealed a Phoenician wall of section dating from the eighth century BC. This proved that a small a colony established here by sailors and traders.

When the Romans invaded the Iberian Peninsula, the village, then called Ferry, acquired strategic importance due to the presence of a bridge over the river.

The town later came under the control of the Moors in their conquest of the region.

At the time of the Christian reconquest of the peninsula, the Portuguese forces reach the Algarve east from 1238. Tavira was conquered on 11 June 1239 (May 1240, according to Alexandre Herculano or 1242 seconds other sources), by the forces of D. Paio Peres Correia, Master of the Order of Santiago for Portugal. The tradition associates this achievement to a reprisal of that Order for the death of seven of his knights in an ambush when hunting at the site of Antas (Town of Light).

The January 9, 1242 (or 1244 seconds other sources), Sancho II of Portugal (1223–1248) donated the areas of Tavira and the patronage of his church to the Order of Santiago, a donation confirmed in 1245 by Pope Innocent IV.[2]

Grounds that the city had been conquered by a Military Order Castilian Alfonso X of Castile claimed it for themselves, come to impose siege and conquer it in 1252. The following year, signed a treaty by which Alfonso III of Portugal (1248–1279) wed the daughter of Alfonso X, and if this union resulted a child to come to complete the seven years, the maternal grandfather would give him as a gift the Algarve. Having the conditions of that legislation was completed in 1264, Alfonso X gave the Algarve Afonso III by letter of 20 September, set in Seville. Because of this act, the Portuguese sovereign granted charters to various Algarvian villages, the first of which Tavira in August 1266.[3]

Under the reign of King Dinis (1279–1325), the castle was repaired and reinforced and expanded around the village around the year 1292. The sovereign, by Royal Charter 1303, extended the privileges of the inhabitants, preventing their assets were seized or sold except for debts to the Crown.

At the time of the 1383-1385 crisis, the Master of Avis donated Reguengo de Tavira Fernão Alvares Pereira, the Constable Nuno Alvares Pereira brother. Later, after the conquest of Ceuta, started the process of the Portuguese Discoveries, the village would see its strategic and economic importance increase. The castle, however, showed risk of collapse, according to the complaint of its people before the courts 1475.

Under the reign of Manuel I of Portugal (1495–1521), the village received the Foral New (1504), raising it to city status on March 16, 1520, among other important privileges. It is your Alcaide-mor at the time Vasco Eanes Corte-Real.

In 1573, when King Sebastian (1568–1578) visit Tavira, are in progress the works of construction of the Santo Antonio Fort (Fort Mouse), opposite to the Gilão River bar in 1577.[4][5]

Panoramic view of Tavira, looking northeast from the castle

Later, in the context of the Portuguese Restoration War, John VI of Portugal (1640–1656) confirms all the privileges granted to Tavira by his predecessors, determining the medieval castle modernization works, reinforcing its structure and adapting it to the shots the then modern artillery. The defense of the village will be completed in 1672, the start of construction of the Fortress of São João da Tavira bar in Gomeira, border to the river Gilão bar in 1717.

In the eighteenth century the castle structure will be severely damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which certainly contributed to that in the following centuries the defensive perimeter of the village was dismantled to a great extent.

The Tavira Castle walls are classified as a National Monument by decree published on May 16, 1939.

Local tradition states that the castle, there is an enchanted Moorish every year on Saint John's Eve, appears to cry your destiny. She was the daughter of Aben-fabila, the Moorish governor, when Tavira was conquered by Christians, disappeared by magic, after delight daughter. It is said that he intended to return to reconquer the city and thus rescue the daughter, but never succeeded.

Another legend tells a great passion of a Christian knight, Don Ramiro, the enchanted Moorish. On the night of Saint John's Eve, when the knight saw the Moorish crying on the castle battlements, was impressed so much by her beauty as the misery of their condition. Hopelessly in love, decided to scale the castle walls to disenchant. The task, however, proved difficult, and the rider took so long to climb that broke the dawn, thus passing the time to be able to break the spell. At that time, the Moorish came in tears to the cloud that hung above the castle, while D. Ramiro watched helplessly. The Knight's frustration was such that it henceforth he strove with great ardor in the struggle against the Moors, and even won a castle, but without other nightshade to love.

It is said that during a truce between Christians and Moors six Christian knights were hunting at the site of tapirs, near Tavira, they have been killed by the Moors. Their names were Pedro Pires (or Peres Rodrigues, Commander of the Order of Santiago de Castilla), Mem Valley, Durão (or Damião) Vaz, Álvoro (Alvaro) Garcia (Garcia or Estevam), Stephen (Estevam) Vaz ( Vasques) Beltrao Caia and another Jewish merchant name Garcia Roiz (or Rodrigues). The author Christopher Rodrigues Acenheiro gives the names of these six riders as: Pedro Paes, Valle Men, They last Vaz, Alvaro Garcia, Estevam Vaz and Boceiro of Coja. In retaliation for those deaths, setting the breaking of the truce, it is that Christians have promoted the conquest of Tavira.

Another episode, also legendary, says this primitive legend: the time of Afonso IV of Portugal (1325–1357), circa 1328, Alfonso XI of Castile laid siege to Tavira. On that occasion, the Castilian forces

"... Having sat camp in the Church of San Francisco. In a Saturday morning and when he chose the best place to storm the walls saw on the church of Santa Maria 7 big figures with flags in their hands and in them the weapons of Santiago Apostle. Astonished called advisors who told him to be these figures the seven riders who died when the conquest of Tavira from the Moors and were the guardians of the city. the king to know this and devotion to the martyrs Knights soon became to his kingdom without harm in Portugal. " (Brother John of St. Joseph).[6]