IngentaConnect Miracles, Martyrs and the Cult of Henry the Crusader in Lisbon

Abstract:

In 1147 a fleet of English, Flemish and German crusaders en route to the Holy Land paused to assist Portuguese troops in an attack on Muslim-held Lisbon. During the subsequent siege a number of visiting crusaders were killed and special cemeteries were established outside the city to receive their remains. Many of their comrades firmly believed that death in combat against the enemies of the faith was a form of martyrdom. This pious hope was bolstered when a number of miracles were reported to have occurred in connection with these supposed martyrs. Over time a cult of crusader `saints' developed, centred on the monastery of São Vicente de Fora. The varied reactions of locals and visitors to the fallen crusaders provides a unique window into what the crusade actually meant to participants and at the same time reveals much about the impact of crusading ideas in Portugal.

Portugese
Em 1147, uma frota de cruzados com destino à Terra Santa prestou auxílio aos Portugueses para conquistar Lisboa aos mouros. No decurso do cerco resultante vários cruzados estrangeiros foram mortos, sendo estabelecidos cemitérios particulares para receber os seus restos mortais. Muitos dos seus companheiros consideravam a morte no combate pela fé uma forma de martírio, crença esta reforçada por boatos da ocorrência de milagres relacionados com os supostos mártires. Com o decorrer do tempo desenvolveu-se um culto dos `santos' cruzados, centrado no mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora. As reacções variadas dos habitantes e dos visitantes ao local permitem um olhar invulgar sobre o sentido das cruzadas como elas foram vividas pelos próprios participantes, assim como sobre o impacto do ideário das cruzadas em Portugal.

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