INTERVIEW

AFONSO HENRIQUES - 1^st KING of PORTUGAL

ED - Hello!

King - Hello, Ed!

ED - How are you? It's an honor to be here with you, Majesty.

King - Let's start with the questions! I have a lot to do and I can't waste time...

ED - How did you become King of Portugal?

King - It wasn't easy. My grandfather was King Alfonso VI of León, my father was a French crusader and I also wanted to be known in History. So I had to fight for a throne!

ED - They say it was you who invented Portugal!

King - It is true! No one ever imagined there was a kingdom like Portugal in the Iberian Peninsula.

ED - Was it hard being independent?

King - At the age of 14, I was knighted in Zaragoza. At those times they were all very tough and I started out as a simple soldier. Then I went to rule my lands. I fought against everything and everyone. Finally, I had the independence of my kingdom.

ED - We know you had a bad relationship with your cousin, Alfonso VII, King of Léon and Castilla. His father was cousin of your father and your mother and his mother were sisters. Have you ever fought against each other?

King - I fought him a few times.

ED - And how did you feel?

King - At this time, family affairs settled on the battlefield. It was a normal thing!

ED - And is it true that you fought your mother to rule the lands?

King - It was a little tricky, but someone had to win! My mother was stubborn and so did I! She didn't want to let me rule... So there was the Battle of S. Mamede and I won!

ED - Have you always wished you were king?

King - Yes, I always wanted to be a king! For that, I fought a lot and had to win territory to the Muslims!

ED - That's right, you should never give up on our dreams. But... always walking to fights and not having time to be with your family, must be difficult!

King - I had to hold on! Being a king isn't as easy as everybody thinks it is. People think it's just being in the throne room and wearing a crown...

ED - They say you died very old...

King - Yes, 70 ... at that time dying with such years was a phenomenon! I am buried in Coimbra, in the Monastery of Santa Cruz.

ED - Thank you for this interview!

King - It was a pleasure to be with you. And now, excuse me... I gotta go fight! I want to conquer Lisbon and Santarém to the Moors and I have to organize my army quickly.

Ed - Good luck my King!

Luciano and Sara - 6F class