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____ Affonso II "the Fat"
Birth: 23 Apr 1185 Coimbra, Portugal
Death: 25 Mar 1223 Coimbra, Portugal
Burial: Santa Clara, Alcobaca, Leiria, Portugal
Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afonso_II_of_Portugal
Afonso II (Portuguese pronunciation: [?'fõsu]; English: Alphonzo), or Affonso (Archaic
Portuguese), Alfonso or Alphonso (Portuguese-Galician) or Alphonsus (Latin version),
nicknamed "the Fat" (Portuguese o Gordo), King of Portugal, was born in Coimbra on
23 April 1185[4] and died on 25 March 1223 in the same city. He was the second but
eldest surviving son of Sancho I of Portugal by his wife, Dulce, Infanta of Aragon.
Afonso succeeded his father on 27 March 1211.[2][1]
Reign[edit]
As a king, Afonso II set a different approach of government. Hitherto, his father
Sancho I and his grandfather Afonso I were mostly concerned with military issues
either against the neighbouring Kingdom of Castile or against the Moorish lands in the
south. Afonso did not pursue territory enlargement policies and managed to insure
peace with Castile during his reign. Despite this, some towns, like Alcácer do Sal in
1217, were conquered from the Moors by the private initiative of noblemen. This does
not mean that he was a weak or somehow cowardly man. The first years of his reign
were marked instead by internal disturbances between Afonso and his brothers and
sisters. The king managed to keep security within Portuguese borders only by
outlawing and exiling his kin.
Since military issues were not a government priority, Afonso established the state's
administration and centralized power on himself. He designed the first set of
Portuguese written laws. These were mainly concerned with private property, civil
justice, and minting. Afonso also sent ambassadors to European kingdoms outside the
Iberian Peninsula and began amicable commercial relations with most of them.
Other reforms included the always delicate matters with the pope. In order to get the
independence of Portugal recognized by Rome, his grandfather, Afonso I, had to
legislate an enormous number of privileges to the Church. These eventually created a
state within the state. With Portugal's position as a country firmly established, Afonso
II endeavoured to weaken the power of the clergy and to apply a portion of the
enormous revenues of the Roman Catholic Church to purposes of national utility.
These actions led to a serious diplomatic conflict between the pope and Portugal.
After being excommunicated for his audacities by Pope Honorius III, Afonso II
promised to make amends to the church, but he died in Coimbra on 25 March 1223[3]
before making any serious attempts to do so.[5]
King Afonso was buried originally at the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra where his
body remained for nearly ten years. His remains were transferred subsequently to
Alcobaça Monastery,[6] as he had stipulated in his will. He and his wife, Queen
Urraca, were buried at its Royal Pantheon.[7]
Marriage and descendants[edit]
In 1206, he married his fourth cousin Infanta Urraca of Castile, daughter of Alfonso
VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England, both being descendants of King Alfonso VI of
León.[8] The offspring of this marriage were:
Infante Sancho (8 September 1207 – 4 January 1248), succeeded his father as
Sancho II, 4th King of Portugal;[9][10]
Infante Afonso (5 May 1210 – 16 February 1279), succeeded his brother Sancho as
Afonso III, 5th King of Portugal;[9][11]
Infanta Leonor (Eleanor) (1211–1231). Married Valdemar III of Denmark,[12][10] son of
Valdemar II of Denmark and Margaret of Bohemia, daughter of Ottokar I of Bohemia;
Infante Fernando (1218–1246),[13] Lord of Serpa and married to Sancha Fernández de
Lara with whom he had no issue. He was the father of an illegitimate son, Sancho
Fernandes, prior of Santo Estêvão of Alfama.[10]
Out of wedlock, he had two illegitimate sons:
João Afonso (d. 9 October 1234), buried in the Alcobaça monastery;[14]
Pedro Afonso (d. after 1249). Accompanied his brother King Afonso in the conquest of
Faro in 1249. He had an illegitimate daughter named Constança Peres. [14]
Parents
AFFONSEZ Sancho I "The Popular" (11 Nov 1154 - 26 Mar 1212)
____ Dulce (Aldonza) (ABT 1159 - 1 Sep 1198)
Siblings
____ Affonso II "the Fat" (23 Apr 1185 - 25 Mar 1223)
Marriage To DE CASTILE Urraca (ABT 1185 - 3 Nov 1220)
m. 1206
Notes
Parents
SANCHEZ Alfonso VIII "the Noble" (11 Nov 1155 - 5 Oct 1214)
____ Eleanor (13 Oct 1162 - 25 Oct 1214)
Children by DE CASTILE Urraca ABT 1185 - 3 Nov 1220
____ Alfonso III "the Restorer" (5 May 1210 - 16 Feb 1279)
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