Following the acclamation of Afonso Henriques in Ourique by his comrades-in-arms, the king decides to adopt different military strategies in the conquest of territory from the Moors and initiates a new process of political, diplomatic and even matrimonial negotiations with the objective of asserting his sovereign power, imposing Portugal’s independence from other Spanish kingdoms and, principally, being recognised by the Holy See through the grant of the privilege of Portugal becoming a kingdom belonging to St. Peter.
To benefit from this honour, Afonso Henriques performs homage to the Pope and pays an annual tribute to the Holy See. However, official recognition is only achieved in 1179 when Pope Alexander III publishes the papal bull Manifestis Probatum est, conferring the title of king on Afonso Henriques and his descendents and promising to defend his dignity and recognise the independence of Portugal.
The key acts, events and figures that helped to assert the royal and sovereign power of King Afonso Henriques and to cement the independence of Portugal, recognised throughout Christendom, are the theme of the historical re-enactment of the latest edition of Medieval Journey in the Land of Saint Mary.
