Abrantes

Template:Geobox Abrantes (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈbɾɐ̃tɨʃ]) is a municipality in Portugal, with a population of 41,560 inhabitants, located on the southern margin of the Tagus River.

History

The main ramparts and walls of the Castelo de Abrantes, captured from the Moors during the reign of Afonso I of Portugal.

The detention block, used to house prisoners, located within the walls of the Castle of Abrantes

It is believed that the first settlement in Abrantes was established by the Celts, around 300 BC. Its name developed from the Latin Aurantes, perhaps because of the deposits of alluvial gold (Latin: aurum), that settled along the Tagus. Similarly, Roman mosaics, coins, the remains of ancient aqueducts, as well as other antiquities, have been discovered in the vicinity of Abrantes.

The village of Abrantes and its castle were conquered from the Moors by Afonso Henriques in 1148. After 1172, Abrantes was a Spanish military outpost, under the dominion of the Order of Saint James of Compostela. Later, it became a distinct order, when Pope Nicholas IV (around 1290) released the Order from the jurisdiction of the Spanish grand master in Uclés. It received its municipal foral in 1179, in compensation for its resistance against the Morrocan Abem Jacob. Its creation in 1179, was based on the concelhos perfeitos ("perfect municipality") model; they were formed on the specific day that settlers were invited to populate them; the administrative regime, the organization of the municipal authority and geographic distribution were planned as part of system of populated uninhabited lands, and extending the political influence of the Kingdom. In 1173, the region, including its castle, were donated to the Order of Saint James of the Sword). Its geography contributed to the colonization:

Zone of permanent conflicts, where the Reconquista came to pontual conclusion, the colonization of Monte Abrantino was facilitated by the geographic situation of the mount, situated to the north of the Tagus, which served as a natural frontier and protected it from incursions; the Tagus which was an important source of richness (water, fish, gold, navigation, etc.), a mount situated in the confluence and transition of territories, crossroads of trails between south and norther, free of overflows, with persistent fog, cleansed of good aires, all these were conditions that,...gave the location the conditions necessary to attract colonists, colonization that, it seems, not to have been easy...

On 24 April 1281, King Dinis of Portugal, conceded the ownership of Abrantes to Queen Elizabeth of Aragon.

Afonso IV of Portugal transferred the title of the religious parish to the Knights Hospitaller, in 1327, and donated Abrantes to Leonor Teles. Partners of the Master of Avis, the Abrantinos were one of the first to support the Lisboete movement of 1383, among them Fernando Álvares de Almeida, protector of the Casa de Abrantes.

King Manuel remained in Abrantes for a long period; by 1510 he conceded a new foral to the town; and his children, the Infantes Fernando and Luís were born in Abrantes. During the 16th century, Abrantes and its religious parish was one of the largest and more populous lands in the Kingdom, with 3,436 inhabitants, four convents and 13 chapels or churches within its frontiers.

In 1581, in his dislocation to Tomar, Philip II of Spain stopped in Abrantes for several days, and during his reign was responsible for the reconstruction of Abrantes' municipal buildings. It was the seat of Portuguese marquesses, one of which was an early patron of the Brazilian-born versatile scientist, naturalist and pioneering inventor-aeronaut Bartholomeu Lourenço de Gusmão.

During 1640, Abrantes was one of the first lands to declare their support for John IV of Portugal. From the 17th and 18th centuries onwards, its ancient military importance was clarified, as it was used by Portuguese and foreign armies to garrison or concentrate their forces. The village of Abrantes was captured on 24 November 1807 by French general Jean-Andoche Junot, who was awarded a ducal title for his victory by Napoleon I in 1808, and used as base for further marshaling of French forces. In the Convention of Cintra (22 August 1808) the town was returned to the Portuguese.

During the reign of Joseph I (1750–1777) the village became the center of the silk industry, which prospered until 1800, designated the Academia Tubuciana.

In 1820, Abrantes supported the Liberal Revolution and celebrated the 1822 Constitution; although Miguel of Portugal did find many supporters in the municipality, no outright manifestation of support occurred in light of the Vilafrancada. In November 1862, the Santerém-Abrantes lines was opened, and by March 1868, a bridge between Abrantes and Rossio to the southern Tagus region was well underway.

An active republican center, Abrantes was the place of preparatory meetings for the 5 October 1910 Revolution, which may have contributed to the village's elevation to the status of city on 14 June 1916.

Geography

Physical geography

The civil parishes that comprise the municipality of Abrantes

Rua de Abrantes, one the historical roads of the old quarter, in the municipal seat of Abrantes

Abrantes lies in a central enclave within the Portuguese territory and a transition zone between the Ribatejo, Beira Baixa and Alto Alentejo. This location allowed development of a diversified culture, influenced by many cultures around it; Sardoal and Vila de Rei, to the north; Mação and Gavião, to the east; Ponte de Sôr and Chamusca, in the south; and Constância and Tomar in the west. Abrantes is also located along many important road and rail links throughout the country, including the Madrid-Badajoz-Lisbon railway, being at the junction with the Guarda-Abrantes line, and the Lisbon-Porto access (the A23 and Beira Baixa roadways).

Abrantes commands the highway along the Tagus valley west from Belver (in the municipality of Gavião) until Constância, occupying the crest of a hill covered with olive woods, gardens and vines; historically, the fortified town has been regarded as an important military position.

The municipality is also center of two major hydrological resources: the Tagus River, which cross the territory for 30 kilometers and the Albufeira from Castelo do Bode.

Human geography

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 19 civil parishes (Template:Lang-pt), responsible for local area development and administration of services:

• Abrantes (São João) - the historical centre (nucleus of the castro structure that would be the base for the construction of the first settlement) and municipal seat of the municipality of Abrantes;
• Abrantes (São Vicente) - dedicated to Saint Vincent, this parish is the principal nucleus of the city of Abrantes, with the main religious congregation and urban core;
• Aldeia do Mato - historically a hinterland of forests (it was a place where locals gathered wood), today it is an area of small hamlets focused on the rivers, and affected by the seasonal activities around the Parque Náutico de Recreio e Lazer da Aldeia do Mato' ', a recreational park and summer retreat;
• Alferrarede - a Roman centre linked to the extraction of iron; the location of iron mines, that have yet to be rediscovered
• Alvega
• Bemposta
• Carvalhal
• Concavada
• Fontes
• Martinchel
• Mouriscas
• Pego
• Rio de Moinhos
• Rossio ao Sul do Tejo
• São Facundo
• São Miguel do Rio Torto
• Souto
• Tramagal
• Vale das Mós

It has dramatically grown since the early 20th century, from a base population of 7,255 in 1900, the population exceeded 41000 inhabitants in 2001.

References

Notes

Sources

• Campos, Eduardo Manuel Tavares (1984). Notas Históricas sobre a Fundação de Abrantes (in Portuguese). Abrantes, Portugal: Câmara Municipal de Abrantes. p. 5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Câmara Municipal of Abrantes, ed. (1985). "Diagnóstico Sócio-Cultural do Distrito de Santarém: Estudo 1" (in Portuguese). Santarém, Portugal: Câmara Municipal of Abrantes: 92–93. {{cite journal}}: |contribution= ignored (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Heraldica.org- Napoleonic victory titles

External links

• Photos from Abrantes