Town · Kingdom of Portugal · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Leiria

Afonso Henriques's castle of 1135 on the old road south from Coimbra, built to cover the advance to Santarém.

Raided many times; the Almohad campaign of 1191 destroyed it. Since Sancho's renewed foral it is being resettled.

Who holds it

Name
Sancho I (the crown); the alcaide on 1 January 1200 is not pinned
Title
Royal town under the king's alcaide or tenente
Confidence
medium

Lord in 1200

The crown; the alcaide on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.

Overlord

Sancho I of Portugal

What the town holds

  • The castle and town
  • The termo between the Lis and the sea

How things stand that morning

Royal town being rebuilt.

Wealth

Farmland and pine coast; the road traffic.

Military

Castle on its rock. No figures.

Threats

  • Another Almohad descent up the coast

Fuero

Foral of Afonso Henriques, 1142; renewed by Sancho I in 1195 after the destruction of 1191 (the renewal date is fair).

Council

A royal concelho under the castle.

Communities

Christians; others not pinned.

Militia

Cavaleiros-vilãos and foot. No figures.

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: The 1191 destruction from the campaign page; foral dates from standard references.

Primary sources for Portugal

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

5 more in the sources library for France and Iberia.

Sources and studies

  1. Almohad campaign against Portugal (1190-1191) (en.wikipedia)

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.