Tavira Guide

Until further archaeological excavations allow us to confirm the veracity of this interpretation, the only help we have lies in a few studies of the topography of the modern city, some vestiges of construction, albeit significant, such as the Southern wall of Igreja de Santiago, and reconstructions of the ancient topography of the city.

Throughout the XIth century, with the conquest of the territories further North by the Christian kingdoms, and subsequent persecution, not only of followers of Islam, but also of Christian Arabs, more populations which were violently expelled from their houses and lands sought refuge in the tranquillity and exquisiteness of the South of the Iberian Peninsula.

During the XIth and start of the XIIth century, the city grew towards the river, with new boroughs springing up outside the walls, which gave shelter to landed inhabitants, as shown by the archaeological excavations carried out in this part of the urban nucleus. In this area, apart from living structures from those periods, objects have been gathered which demonstrate not only that the area was inhabited, but also that those who lived there had the possessions and habits of an opulent lifestyle. One example of this are the world-famous Vase of Tavira and the wealth of pieces gathered in the same archaeological context.

World famous Vase of Tavira (XIth century)

In the meantime, the power of Almoravide dynasty disintegrated and small kingdoms, known as taifas were created. These were states with independent policies through which they were alienated, not only from other Muslim kingdoms, but also from the emerging Christian monarchies, depending on their immediate interests.

At that time, Tavira was a republic, independent from any taifa and with a population which engaged in commerce and piracy between the coasts of the Iberian Peninsula and Africa. Knowing how to play with this situation which dominated the Islamic world, the Christian monarchs, successfully ensuring the neutrality of some, alliances with others, signing treaties with sovereigns from these little states in order to attack others, gradually amplified their territories towards the South. Among these Christian kings, Dom Afonso Henriques is of obvious interest to us. Having gained his independence from the kingdom of León in 1140, with a territory which hardly reached the Mondego, he resolved to create a stable border to the South, and to this end he directed his attentions to the valley of the Tagus, which he finally conquered in 1147, taking Santarém, Lisbon, Sintra, Almada and Palmela; economically flourishing fortified cities, with flourishing commerce and rich agriculture.

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