Denis King Of PORTUGAL

Male 1261 - 1325  (61 years)


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  • Name Denis King Of PORTUGAL  [1, 2
    Birth 09 Oct 1261  Lisbon Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Name Diniz King Of Portugal  [1
    Death Between 07 Jan 1323 and 1325  Santarem Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Notes 
    • Denis I, King of Portugal (Portuguese: Dinis or Diniz IPA [di'ni?]), called o Lavrador (Portuguese: "the Farmer"), (October 9, 1261 in Lisbon ? January 7, 1325 in SantarÈm) was the sixth king of Portugal and Algarve. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, princess Beatrice of Castile, Dinis succeeded his father in 1279.

      As heir to the throne prince Dinis was summoned by his father (Afonso III) to share government responsibilities. At the time of his accession to the throne, Portugal was again in diplomatic conflicts with the Catholic church. Dinis signed a favouring agreement with the pope and swore to protect the Church's interests in Portugal. Due to this, he granted asylum to the Templar knights persecuted in France and created the Order of Christ, designed to be a continuation of the Order of the Temple.

      With the Reconquista completed and the Portuguese territory freed from Moorish occupation, Dinis was essentially an administrative king, not a military one. However, a short war between Castile and Portugal broke during his reign, for the possession of the town of Serpa and Moura. After this, Dinis avoided war: he was a notably peace-loving monarch during a tempestuous time in European history. With Portugal finally recognized as an independent country by his neighbours, Dinis signed a border pact with Ferdinand IV of Castile (1297) which has endured to the present day.

      Dinis' main priority of government was the organization of the country. He pursued his father's policies on legislation and centralization of power. Dinis promulgated the nucleus of a Portuguese civil and criminal law code, protecting the lower classes from abuse and extortion. As king, he travelled around the country, correcting unjust situations and resolving problems. He ordered the construction of numerous castles, created new towns, and granted privileges due cities to several others. With his wife, princess Isabella of Aragon, Dinis worked to improve the life of the poor and founded several social institutions.

      Always concerned with the country's infrastructure, Dinis ordered the exploration of mines of copper, silver, tin and iron and organized the export of excess production to other European countries. The first Portuguese commercial agreement was signed with England in 1308. Dinis effectively founded the Portuguese navy under command of a Genoese admiral and ordered the construction of several docks.

      His main concern was the redevelopment and promotion of rural infrastructure, hence the nickname the Farmer. Dinis redistributed the land, promoted agriculture, organized communities of farmers and took personal interest in the development of exports. He instituted regular markets in a number of towns and regulated their activities. One of his main achievements was the protection of agricultural lands from advancing coastal sands, by ordering the planting of a pine forest near Leiria. This forest still exists as one of the most important of Portugal and is known as the Pinhal de Leiria.

      King Diniz statue at the University of CoimbraCulture was another interest of King Dinis. He had a fondness for literature and wrote several books himself, with topics ranging from administration to hunting, science and poetry. In his days, Lisbon was one of Europe's centers of culture and knowledge. The University of Coimbra was founded by his decree Magna Charta Priveligiorum.

      The latest part of his peaceful reign was nevertheless marked by internal conflicts. The contenders were his two sons: Afonso the legitimate heir, and Afonso Sanches his natural son, who quarrelled frequently among themselves for royal favour. At the time of Dinis death in 1325 he had placed Portugal on an equal footing with the other Iberian Kingdoms.
    Person ID I44971  Main Tree

    Father Alfonso III King Of PORTUGAL,   b. 05 May 1210   d. 16 Feb 1279 (Age 68 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Mother Beatrice Of CASTILE,   b. 1242   d. 27 Oct 1303 (Age 61 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Marriage Abt 03 Jun 1254  [1
    Family ID F06931  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Isabel St. Elizabeth Of ARAGON,   b. 1271   d. 1336 (Age 65 years) 
    Marriage 1281  [1, 2
    Children 
     1. Alfonso IV Of PORTUGAL,   b. 08 Feb 1291   d. 28 May 1357 (Age 66 years)
     2. Costanza Of PORTUGAL,   b. 03 Jan 1290   d. 18 Nov 1313 (Age 23 years)  [Natural]
    Family ID F06933  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Gracia FROES,   b. Abt 1265 
    Children 
     1. Pedro Afonso Count Of BARCELOS,   b. 1287   d. 1354 (Age 67 years)  [Natural]
    Family ID F17486  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 3 Aldonca Rodrigues TALHA,   b. Abt 1260 
    Children 
     1. Afonso Sanches Lord Of ALBUQUERQUE,   b. 1289   d. 1329 (Age 40 years)  [Natural]
    Family ID F17487  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 4 Maria PIRES 
    Children 
     1. Joao Afonso Lord Of LOUSA,   b. Abt 1280   d. 1325 (Age 45 years)  [Natural]
    Family ID F06934  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 5 Marinha GOMES,   b. Abt 1260 
    Children 
     1. Maria Afonso Of PORTUGAL,   b. Abt 1290   d. 1320 (Age 30 years)  [Natural]
    Family ID F17485  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 09 Oct 1261 - Lisbon Link to Google Earth
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  • Sources 
    1. [S01910] Blood Royal, Issue of the Kings and Queens of Medieval England 1066-1399 by. T. Anna Leese.

    2. [S03581] Wikipedia Encyclopedia.