Thread by @Arby_K

An illegitimate daughter of a King, assigned a county to rule with her foreign born husband, fighting for independence from her sister, only to be dethroned by her own son, who creates a new country out of her territories; a country that still lives on.

Story in the evening ...

https://twitter.com/Arby_K/status/1329605089187692545

Teresa Alfonso was born around 1080 to King Alfonso of León, Castile and Galicia, and his mistress, Jimena Muñoz. Her legitimate sister, Urraca, was also born around the same time. Aided by the famed warlord, El Cid, their father had enlarged his dominion considerably. 1/10

But defeat in Sagrajas against the Almoravids would lead Alfonso call out for help from Europe. Among the many knights who answered were two nobles; Henri de Bourgogne, the youngest son of the Duke of Burgundy and Raimond de Bourgogne, a younger son of the Count of Burgundy. 2/10

By 1092, Henri had married Teresa and Raimond had married Urraca. Together, the king's son-in-laws would plot to divide Alfonso's realm between them. Hearing this, the king would put Henri in charge of the County of Portugal which was ruled earlier by Raimond. 3/10

After Henri's death in 1112, Teresa would take over the affairs of the County, with her young son Afonso. Her sister, Urraca, had inherited their father's realm in 1109, though she faced difficulty in securing her rule as a ruling Queen. 4/10

With her sister in trouble, Teresa would become de facto independent and get recognized as Queen by the Pope in 1116. However, she would have to accept her sister's suzerainty after defeat in 1121. It was around this time she would become the mistress of a Galician noble. 5/10

The influence of the the Galician noble would eventually cause the nobility of Portugal to rise up against Teresa. Leading them was her son Afonso, who also wanted to make Portugal independent. 6/10

In 1128, Afonso would take over the County after defeating his mother in battle at São Mamede. With victory against the Almoravids in 1139, he would declare himself as King and a vassal of Pope. 7/10

With victory against León in 1141, his cousin, Alfonso, King of León, would be forced to recognize the independence of Portugal. What Henri and Teresa set out to do during their rule, would finally come to fruition through their son. 8/10

Afonso would lead Portugal to many victories over his southern neighbours during his rule, enlarging his kingdom. In 1147 he would successfully siege Lisbon, the city that would become the capital of his new kingdom . 9/10

When Afonso died after a long rule in 1185, Portugal's independence was no longer in doubt. His son, Sancho, would become the King of Portugal after him. Three years later, Afonso's grandson by his daughter Urraca, would become the King of León. 10/10