The Conquest of Lisbon

by Charles Wendell David (Translator)

Although the Crusades are generally thought of in terms of the European attempt to conquer and colonize the Holy Land, from the twelfth century onward crusading also involved the "reconquest" of the Iberian peninsula from the Muslims. This eyewitness account of the capture of Lisbon in 1147 by the combined forces of King Alfonso Henriques of Portugal and a fleet of crusaders from the Anglo-Norman realm, Flanders, and the Rhineland is one of the richest and most exciting sources to survive from this period. Far more than just a narrative, De expugnatione Lyxbonensi vividly conveys the tensions between the secular and spiritual motives of a crusading army, as well as revealing a wealth of information on medieval warfare, the development of crusading ideology and holy war, and Muslim views of the crusaders. The new foreword by Jonathan Phillips provides insight to the latest scholarship on the integral place of the Lisbon expedition in the Second Crusade, the identity of the text's author, and his message for crusaders.

Genres: History, Medieval

224 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2000

Reviews

[Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laying out figs on the ground for the Moors and trapping them in snares when they try to pick them up was high caliber dickhead behavior

[Kenneth Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This translation by from the Latin by Charles Wendell David gives us a blow-by-blow account of the fall of Lisbon to King Alfonso Henriques of Portugal and a fleet of crusaders from the Anglo-Norman realm, Flanders, and the Rhineland in 1147 CE. The tale really gives us an understanding of how history could have gone in several different ways. The Portuguese met the ships carrying the pilgrims--going to make war in the Middle East--purely by chance and asked them for help in conquering the Muslims in Lisbon. In other words, to put it slightly differently, "You knights, there's no need to go to Palestine, the Middle East is right here!" (Note: the knights and pilgrims eventually did go on to Palestine.)
The polyglot group of knights and supplicants agreed to help out and the combined forces went to Lisbon--and be it noted if they "reconquer" Lisbon, they've already gotten most of Portugal. After not unusual mockery from the city's inhabitants standing on the walls, it soon became clear that, yet again, no Muslim cities would come to Lisbon's aid, since many of them already had separate treaties with Alfonso and other Christian lords. This is the story of the Reconquista in miniature, since this scenario was repeated all over the Iberian Peninsula.
The battles, siege and fall of the city lasted only from 1 July to 25 October 1147.
A very interesting chapter in the history of Iberia, with much detail.
Good scholarship.