New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-11-10
Origin of the Kingdom Of Portugal.

Among the thousand readers or the graceful pages
in which Prescott has told portion OF the tale OF
Phillip H. are there nOt some who Will give mo-
ment's thought to that other Pcnnsuar nation which
Phillip with difficulty subdued-that nation which
occupied (od historians say) 1.-THE marrow OF SPAIN
medulla Hspanica, which founded the first OF mod
ern commercial empires, whose language Is as sweet
as the Spanish is sonorous, and whose manners arc
melancholy as the Spanish are gay--but whose career
like the Spanish. has been sudden glory and long
decline.
The origin of the kingdom of Portugal is the most
romantic, and at the same time the most democratic
in Europe Count Henry Of Burgundy received from
Alfonso VI OF Spain, the hand of the fair Theresa
and the sovereignty OF as much land as lie could con
uuer from the Moors. He won province after PROV
ince At his death his son Alfonso Henrques became
Count in his stead and in 1880 the brave and chiya
rous nfoors made last vain effort to resist him.
On the field OF Dnrique was fought strange battle
| Three hundred thousand Moors at the very least
chronicers say, (believe it who CAM met thirteen
thousand Christians and were vanqushed: the five
kings who led them slain one by one, and theii
five shields still constitute the arms Of Portugal. For
Portugal there was thenceforhto be the battle
as it proved, was not merely for religion, but Tor q
| kingdom Alfonso was crowned king upon the field
by his victorious soldiers and he in return raised the
whole army to the rank Of nobility.
But this was not all. 1t took four years to con
summate his declaration of independence, and to gain
the papa consent to the new royalty, and 1t was not
till ll43 that there was behcd at LamegO 4 ceremony
unparalleled in the history Of coronations. In the
church of Santa Maria de Almacava in Lamego, July
25 ll45, the Cores Of the new nation was conVoked
clergy, officers, and delegate from every town.
Alfonso Henrques was present, seated on the throne,
but without either crown or SCeptre The assembly
was organized and religious rites were performed.
Then LouTenco Vegas, Alfonsos secretary, rose and
asked the assembly whether, according to the ac-
CARNATIONS on the battlefield, since approved by the
Pope, they accepted Don Alfonso for their king.
Yes' was the enthusiastic shout. " And his chill
dren after him p asked VEGAS. And his children
after him., they eagerly repeated. Shall we give
him the ensigns of royalty! was the next question
" In the name Of Cod was the answer. Then the
Archbishop of Btaga placed upon his head jeweled
crown, once worn by the Gothic sovereigns; and the
king drawing his sword addressed the assembly
Blessed be God for his aid by this sword your enc
mics have been subdued and it is you who have
raised me to be your king and comrade. Let laws
now be made for the peace of our naton.' Eighteen
statutes were then made, called the Statutes OF Lam
ego, the Magna Charta Of Portugal. The assembly
assented to them all Then came the last and great
est question Is it your WILL" VEGAS said, that
king, or to any other?' Then the whole assembly
rose and waving their naked swords cried out, awe
are free our king is free, with our own hands we
have won that freedom; and any king who yields 1t
shall atone for it with his life Then the king rose
once more and said, Though it be my own son, he
shall die And the Cortes was dissolved.
We are now entering upon detailed history OF
Portugal and cannot dwell upon this period longer
ct There Is one uceQ 50 ulAcu auloHS tut ilildn vi
the nation, and so worthy of Greek OF Roman fame
that we must not pass it by Before the young Al
fonso had dared to speak the word Independence
the king of Leon, fearing his ambition marched
against him with an army, and besieged him at GUM
araes. At length the fortress yielded and the uwil
ling barons were compelled to pledge their yet hoy
sh king to remain the vassal of Leon. "Who will b,
your security" asked the foreign monarch, 81 vii
answer for it with my head" replied Don Egas Mo
| niz, the most powerful of them all. The young Al
fonso grew to man his people crowned him king
as we lave seen, and with the full consent Of the no
bic Egas Moniz. But the word given must be iul
filled the freedom Of the nation was the doom OF tn
hostage. The Portuguese Regulus called his tam!.
around him, babe his king and his friends farewell
and went, not Unattended toward the court of Leon
Arrived there, he barred his head and feet and boun'
a cord round his neck His wife and children did tn
same. A sad and stately family they appeared be
fore the angry king Thank God for human nature
we can add, that his anger yielded TO admiration, an
the noble family returned home mnjured. Ega
| Moniz was free, so was Portugal. His ancient NOR
ument still remains near Porto: on one side tn
mournu procession TO Leon, the father, the mother
the four children (hesc last seated upon one hors
for economy Of marble, on the other, the deathbed @
the hero, with two angels bearing him to heaven