Guimarães Castle – cradle of Portugal!
Guimarães Castle 
3D view of the keep
The foundation of Portugal is closely linked to Guimarães and its castle. Its construction, however, precedes the creation of the kingdom. It was built in the middle of the 10th century by Countess Mumadona Dias, with the aim of protecting the monastery of Santa Maria against the Norman and Muslim invasions, very frequent at that time.
In the 11th century, Count D. Henrique and Countess Teresa de León settled in Guimarães, remodeling and expanding the fortification. D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, was born here. Later (XIII century), already in the reign of D. Afonso III and D. Dinis, new and important improvements were made to the castle, adding the 8 towers and the keep.
One of the most emblematic episodes associated with the castle is the siege by Afonso VII of León and Castile, in 1127, to whom Afonso Henriques refused to vassal. In large numbers, the Castilians had the victory as inevitable.But Afonso Henriques did not surrender. Secretly, Egas Moniz, the servant of Afonso Henriques, decided to appeal to Afonso VII to put an end to the siege. On word of honor, he promises his master’s vassalage. The king of Castile accepted and left the place. Upon hearing of it, Afonso Henriques rejected the conditions his servant had proposed. Unable to honour his word, Egas Moniz voluntarily gave himself to the king of Castile, offering his life and that of his family in return for the unfulfilled word.
