Henry, Count of Portugal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry |
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Henry in an old book from the 1300s
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| Count of Portugal | |
| Reign | 1096 – 1112 |
| Successor | Teresa and Afonso |
| Co-count | Teresa |
| Born | c. 1066 Dijon, Burgundy |
| Died | 12 May 1112 Astorga, León |
| Burial | Braga Cathedral, Braga, Portugal |
| Spouse | Teresa of León |
| Issue | Urraca Henriques Sancha Henriques Afonso I of Portugal |
| House | Portuguese House of Burgundy (founder) |
| Father | Henry of Burgundy |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Henry (also known as Henrique in Portuguese and Henri in French) was a very important person in the history of Portugal. He was the first ruler from the Capetian House of Burgundy to govern the region that would become Portugal. Henry was also the father of Afonso Henriques, who later became Portugal's first king. He was born around 1066 and passed away on May 12, 1112.
Contents
Henry's Early Life
Family Background
Henry was born in Dijon, a city in a place called the Duchy of Burgundy (which is now part of France). He was the youngest son of a man also named Henry. His two older brothers, Hugh I and Odo, inherited the family's main lands.
Henry's family was very powerful. They controlled many important cities in France. His aunt, Constance of Burgundy, was married to King Alfonso VI of León. Also, his great-uncle, Hugh, was a famous abbot (a leader of a monastery).
Joining the Reconquista
In the late 1000s, Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) were fighting to take back land from Muslim rulers. This was called the Reconquista. After a big battle in 1086, King Alfonso VI of León asked for help from other Christians in Europe.
Many French nobles and soldiers came to help. Among them were Henry's brother, Duke Odo, and his cousin, Raymond of Burgundy. Henry himself arrived later, and his presence is confirmed around 1096.
King Alfonso VI had several daughters. Three of these French nobles married his daughters. Henry of Burgundy married Teresa of León, who was King Alfonso's daughter. Raymond of Burgundy married Urraca, who later became Queen.
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Becoming Count of Portugal
An Important Agreement
Between 1096 and 1105, Henry and his cousin Raymond made an agreement. They were worried about King Alfonso VI's only son, Sancho. They decided to support each other and share power and wealth after the king's death.
Raymond promised Henry control of the Kingdom of Toledo and a share of the royal money. If he couldn't give Toledo, he would give Henry Galicia. Henry, in return, promised to help Raymond gain control of all King Alfonso's lands.
When King Alfonso VI heard about this secret agreement, he took action. To prevent his sons-in-law from gaining too much power, he gave Henry control over the land from the Minho River to the Tagus River. This area was known as the County of Portugal. Before this, Raymond had governed this region, but now his power was limited to just Galicia. This move by the king changed the terms of the cousins' agreement.
Henry's Rule and Death
After Raymond died, King Alfonso's daughter Urraca (Henry's wife Teresa's half-sister) became queen. She married Alfonso the Battler for political reasons. Henry used the conflicts between Queen Urraca and her new husband to expand his own lands and power.
Henry was caught in a siege (when an army surrounds a city) in Astorga. He was helping his sister-in-law, Queen Urraca, defend the city. Henry died on May 22, 1112, from injuries he received during this siege.
Before he died, Henry asked to be buried in Braga. His body was moved there, and he was buried in a chapel at Braga Cathedral. He had helped build this cathedral. After Henry's death, his wife Teresa ruled the County of Portugal by herself.
Henry's Impact
Lasting Legacy
Count Henry led a group of French nobles, monks, and priests. These people had a big impact on the Iberian Peninsula. They brought many new ideas and changes from France, like the customs of the Cluny monasteries and the Roman Rite (a way of worship).
They held important positions in the church and in government. This caused some disagreements during the last years of King Alfonso VI's rule.
Marriage and Children
Henry married Teresa of León around 1095. They had five children, but only three lived to be adults:
- Urraca Henriques (born around 1095): She married a nobleman named Bermudo Pérez de Traba.
- Sancha Henriques (born around 1097): She married another nobleman, Sancho Nunes de Celanova.
- Afonso Henriques (born 1109): He was named after his grandfather, King Alfonso VI. Afonso became the Count of Portugal in 1112, after his father died. Later, in 1139, he became the very first King of Portugal.
