Alfonso I of Portugal

Alfonso I of Portugal, in Portuguese, Alfonso (or Afonso) Henriques (c. 1109-1185), first king of Portugal (1139-1185), and son of Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal. As an infant, he inherited his father's title, and in 1128 he defeated his mother, Teresa, the erstwhile regent, in battle. He began a long struggle for independence from León soon afterwards, and finally won the war in 1139. On July 25 of that year he also won a decisive victory over the Moors at Qurique and proclaimed himself King of Portugal. His subsequent victories over the Moors included the capture of Santarém in 1147, and, with the help of Crusaders en route to the Holy Land, the capture of Lisbon in October of that year.