A MYTH, A KING, A FLAG THE BATTLE OF AND THE SYMBOL OF NATIONAL IDENTITY

Verónica Gomes University of Aveiro

KEYWORDS , Miracle of Ourique, D. Afonso Henriques, Myth, Symbol, Flag, Change, Politics, History, National Identity, Culture, People

ABSTRACT Through the historical context of King Afonso Henriques in the Battle of Ourique and the creation of the Miracle legend, it is intended to enquire the symbolic power of this historical event, which is portrayed in the nation’s coat of arms and is inscribed in the national flag. There is also the intent to analyze the graphic evolution of the symbol, taking into account the historical – political juncture of ’s origin and how it expresses the national, cultural identity and collective belief. Finally, it lays some notes on the national flag taking into account the current social-cultural context.

INTRODUCTION Over the time it was common to tell history’s facts as they were passed from generation to generation. Now, in modern history, there are many authors that discuss, for example, the question of Battle of Ourique and the myth associated with it, pointing out several aspects of inconsistency and unproven facts. Indeed, the Portuguese flag, national symbol, worked in the early days of its origin, as a differentiating element of the groups involved in the battlefields. Later it was taking other representations including a sense of belonging and unity to the country. Through the historical context of King Afonso Henriques in the Battle of Ourique and the creation of the Miracle legend, it is intended to enquire the symbolic power of this historical event, which is portrayed in the nation’s coat of arms and is inscribed in the national flag. There is also the intent to analyze the graphic evolution of the symbol, taking into account the historical – political juncture of Portugal’s origin and how it expresses the national, cultural identity and collective belief. To alert consciences for the suitability and readability of the symbol on the socio-cultural environment and opening of Portugal to the European context.

I. HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT

The Battle of Ourique,

happened in , 1139 between D. Afonso Henriques and Muslims, with victory for the first Portuguese king. The tradition says that the victory of King Afonso Henriques was over a large contingent led by five Muslim kings. In modern historiography, the Muslim army would not be so large due to the crisis situation experienced by them in the Peninsula and North Africa (Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, 2003-2011).

Centuries later, happened the Miracle of Ourique, a legend which says that, before the Battle, "Christ would have come to D. Afonso Henriques, assuring him the victory and the future protection of the kingdom. So, the independence of Portugal was based on the expressed will of God" (Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, 2003-2011). During the fifteenth century (the date of legend’s appearance) until the seventeenth, legend was being improved and detailed.

Note that the legend appeared and was reinforced in two situations that Portugal needed to consolidate its independence and autonomy. From the nineteenth century was challenged, first by Herculano and later by modern historiography (Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, 2003-2011).

Studies of Ana Isabel Carvalhão Buesco, Angela Dutra de Menezes e Damião Peres prove to be important due to the duality of positions concerning the importance of the Miracle of Ourique in the social and national identity formation. On one hand,

the strategy of those who defend the Miracle of Ourique appears as a fact whose truth cannot be doubted, due a continuous and uniform belief transmitted through the centuries. Despite this, it becomes evident that a second factor coexists dialectically with the first: the unlikelihood as a paradoxical proof of veracity. Therefore, the unlikelihood and historical veracity became evidence and guarantee of an extraordinary destiny, coexisting without conflict in the minds of Ourique defender’s (Buesco, 1987: 148).

On the other hand, those with , took an opposing position related with the cult of established beliefs "that not only denies the divine intervention before the battle, but also puts into question its legendary greatness as a military confrontation" (Buesco, 1987: 148). In a very concise and clear approach, Menezes (2007: 30), sums up the issue of Ourique, saying that "Everything about Ourique are conjunctures". Despite

history is so important that it marked on Portuguese imaginary’s, remains in the nation’s coat of arms - five shells of five quinas, each with five balls, representing the five Moorish kings beheaded in battle - and finally Afonso Henriques became a king of fact and law (Menezes, 2007: 30s).

This polemic around the issue of Ourique includes the precise location of the Battle, "there is a controversy among historians accepting the traditional version, situating it in the Ourique of Baixo , and others fixing further north in Chão de Ourique , 15 kilometers from Cartaxo, or in Campo de Ourique 7 kilometers from " (Peres, 1969:44).

Considering all the issues related with the event’s veracity and credibility, it can be said that "it is impossible to separate truth and legend in Afonso Henriques’s biography, "and "the infant who claimed to be king turned myth" (Menezes, 2007:35).

II. CULTURAL CONTEXT

The national identity reflects the belonging identification, by a set of individuals, to a particular group. The consciousness of belonging is a historical process that has evolved over time into what is known as national identity. A whole lot of moments contributed for that, mostly marked by military clashes with other countries, that try to justify the extension to other social groups, the perception of belonging to the Portuguese’s category, "wars against Castile in the reign of King Fernando and D. João I" (Mattoso, 1998:17) were decisive in the categorization process of national identity. The arrival of individuals with habits and customs, behaviors, languages and religions, reinforced the sense of national belonging, enabling the identification with the symbols of power.

The king's arms become the national arms, which mean that the obedience required to all his vassals presents itself as an expression of their own identity. It is by obedience to the king that the Portugueses are distinguished from others. It is by following the king’s flag, in battle, that they distinguished themselves between their enemies. Under their protection they are safe from all dangers (Mattoso, 1998:11 s).

III. GRAPHIC EVOLUTION

The perception of belonging materializes in the use of symbols, used throughout history, as identification tools. "In ancient times the great leaders - like the pharaohs, emperors, kings - used pictures of animals to mark their presence in front of friends and enemies" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:2). The flag’s symbol takes, during the Middle Age, an identifying and unifying power of extreme importance, serving as a guideline for the combatants. Since Portugal's independence, in 1143, the flag has changed always associated with specific reasons, mostly due to changes of kings. The flag used by D. Afonso Henriques, between 1143 - 1185, "was also the and, according to tradition, had a blue cross on white background" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:6).

There is no record of the flag used by D. Sancho I, but taking into account the stamps and coins of that time, it is suggested that

it had white background with five blue escutcheons sprinkled roundel silver (metal discs), varying in number according to tradition the escutcheons arranged in a cross representing the five wounds of Christ or the five that his father, D. Afonso Henriques would have won in the battle of Ourique (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:7).

It was also used by D. Afonso II (1211-1223) and D. Sancho II (1223-1248).

In a social instability environment of anarchy rules and values, the people called Prince Afonso, who lived in France, to succeed his brother D. Sancho II. However, there were some Portuguese who supported D. Sancho II prompting the brothers to the battlefield.

But it would make no sense that the two brothers face each other on the battlefield under the same flag. So D. Afonso III added to the royal flag a red border with gold castles (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:7s).

However, it’s from this reign that was forever settled "what has become the core of the national flag: five blue escutcheons, with five white besantes and a red stripe with castles" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:8). The trend-setting numbers, common in heraldry, led to a stabilization of the number of besantes of the escutcheons into five, arranged two one two "(Governo da República Portuguesa, 2009). From 1248 until 1383, through the reigns of Afonso III, D. Dinis, D. Afonso IV, D. Pedro I and D. Fernando, the flag remained the same. There was a simple modification when D. João, Mestre of Avis, bastard son of D. Pedro I is chosen by the Portuguese people to ascend the throne, despite the fact that, by the laws of the time, it was not entitled. "He takes the government as D. João I and started the dynasty of Avis introducing in the flag, the" Cross of Military Order of Avis, at green", only figuring "the shots that have the form of fleur-de-lis" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:8).

Kings D. Duarte (between 1433 to 1438) and D. Afonso V (1438-1481) used this flag.

Between 1481-1495, D. João II,

ordered to remove the trim fleur-de-lis from the royal arms and to place vertically the quinas on the shield edges. The red crown remained sprinkled with castles of gold, although the tendency of their number was seven or eight on the flags used at the time (Governo da República Portuguesa, 2009).

The most significant change in visual appearance of the flag occurs

the reign of King Manuel I, where the royal arms were set on a white background. The center had the Portuguese shield with a red border filled with seven or eight castles of

gold and upon it was placed an open royal crown. The shield shape differed between the two kingdoms. While D. Manuel prevailed the rectangular shield finished with the lower wedge, on the reign of King João III was emphasized the rectangular shape with round bottom - called the Portuguese shield. The same happened with the quinas that followed those forms (Governo da República Portuguesa, 2009).

In fact, throughout flag's evolution, this seems to be the moment of greatest visual transformation (that takes) into the flag, keeping some features up to today. Kings D. Manuel I (1495-1521) and D. João III (1521-1557) made use of the flag until the reign of King Sebastião who "ascended the throne with three years and was educated to the dream of making great conquests in North Africa, to recover lands that had been lost in the previous reign and to extend the " (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:10). It is within this imaginary of expansion and power that the royal crown, which appeared on the flag, is replaced by an imperial crown and a rounded shield. "The appearance of a closed crown was related to the reinforcement of royal power authority" (Governo da República Portuguesa, 2009).

With the death of Cardinal D. Henrique, and since there were no descendants left, ascends to the throne the closest relative, Filipe II, King of ,. Despite the struggles against the Portuguese people who did not want a foreigner to rule the country, "he managed to assert oneself and began the Filipina’s dynasty that lasted 60 years " (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:10). During this period, the flag has not changed. On December 1, 1640, the national independence was restored, with the expulsion of the Spanish people and the ascension to the throne of King João, Duke of Bragança, who assumed the government as D. João IV, beginning the Bragança’s dynasty. The crown of the Portuguese flag is changed in order to mark the event.

In the acclamation of D. João IV, the white flag with the national shield, headed by closed royal crown with five arches in sight, formed the symbol of the Restoration. Although in this period the flag has not changed significantly, in the reign of King João V, the shield was modified with a fantasy according to the epoch taste, finishing the lower edge in nozzle arc counter curved and the crown gained a red or purple cap (Governo da República Portuguesa, 2009).

In 1808, the royal family had to runway to defend the throne from French invasions. The chosen place for refuge was Brazil, which was a Portuguese colony. D. João VI elevated Brazil to the rank of kingdom, united to Portugal. To represent this new reality he has changed the flag, including the armillary sphere on a blue background (which is considered a symbol of Brazil).

"In the nineteenth century, for the first time, two political parties emerged with very different ideas on how to govern" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:12): the absolutists and the liberals. If the first ones wanted to keep everything as it was, the second's, proposed changes to the level of division of powers. There were several conflicts, but the Liberals succeeded, and D. João VI accepted the Constitution. With his death, the succession issue is putted into question.

On one hand, D. Pedro, although liberal was the emperor of Brazil, on the other, D. Miguel, although available, was absolutist and do not accepted the liberals. D. Pedro abdicated the throne of Brazil, returned to Portugal and civil war broke out during two years. On the battlefield, the absolutists continued to wear the flag before the independence of Brazil and the Liberals have created a new flag, changing

the shape of the crown and the color of the background that became blue and white. These colors became symbols of liberal ideas. Since Liberals won the civil war, their flag was kept down and remained the same until the end of the monarchy (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:13).

"In the late nineteenth century, emerge the Republican Party that wanted a radical change: to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:14) in spite of their revolutionary attempts only at October 5, 1910," after several months of preparation, there was a revolution in Lisbon this time with success, the Republic was proclaimed on the balcony of the Lisbon City Hall" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:15). But "such a deep change - from Monarchy to Republic - demanded that another national flag be chosen" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:17) and a number of prestigious people were invited to prepare the new project. "The first proposal presented by the committee charged with studying the national flag" (Magalhães and Appeals, 1997:17) was conceived taking into account the justification of the following reasons: to the colors, red, "combative and warm color, is the color of conquest and laughter. A singing color, burning, lively, remember the blood and encourages the victory "(Magalhães and Appeals, 1997:18) the green" color of hope and lightning, means a representative change in country's life, the armillary sphere that resembles the Portuguese Discoveries, the most brilliant phase of our history, must appear on the flag, the track with seven castles should also stay because it represents national independence and shield with the quinas should continue on the flag as a tribute to the bravery and Portuguese's feats who fought for independence" (Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:18).

The government accepted the proposal of the National Flag but made some changes that resulted in a flag

divided vertically in two basic colors, dark green and scarlet, with the green of the hoist. In the center, superimposed to the union of colors, is the nation’s coat of arms, edged with white and seated on the armillary sphere of Manuel I, in yellow and highlighted in black. The length of the flag is one and half times the height’s hoist. The division between the two basic colors should be made so that stay two fifths of the total length occupied by the green and the remaining three-fifths red. The central ensign occupies half the height of the flag, being equidistant from the top and bottom edges (Governo da República Portuguesa, 2009).

The National Flag was approved by the Government on 29 November 1910 and ratified by the Constituent Assembly on June 11, 1911. The Republicans chose the day of December 1, the commemoration date of Independence's Restore, to be the day of the national flag (see Magalhães e Alçada, 1997:18-21).

IV. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS WORK

If it is true that the national flag carries with it a symbolic charge which reflects moments in the history of Portugal, on the other hand, it has remained unchanged since 1910. From another perspective, considering the persistence time of the flags and the number of times that has changed, it can be concluded that changes the flag occurred an average of 78.81 years, and in periods of change of kings / polity. The current flag prevails unchanged for 100 years since the establishment of the Republic, 05 October 1910. Perhaps during the April 25, 1974 had made sense a change of flag, as the Estado Novo dictatorship had been overthrown and a democratic regime would be implemented. Maybe the flag was not changed in order to mark this political change due the use and fast affirmation of the symbols that characterize this event: the white dove peace symbol, the red carnation placed in the barrel of the guns of soldiers to translate the victory, later, the sea-gull which means freedom. The metaphorical power of these images is so sumptuous that persists in the collective historical memory as symbols that mark and characterize the historical moment that was the April 25 1974. These considerations are not intended to suggest a constantly modification of the flag due to political changes but rather to awake the critical spirit, taking into account the significance that this national symbol represents to the Portuguese people.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Menezes, Angela Dutra de, (2007): O português que nos pariu – uma visão brasileira sobre a história dos portugueses. Porto. Civilização Editora

Peres, Damião, (1969): História de Portugal-Palestras na emissora nacional, Volume I - Origens e formação da nacionalidade. Porto. Portucalense Editora