¿Se puede hablar de un entramado político religioso en el proceso de independencia de Portugal?

Abstract

In this article I consider the contribution of the civil and ecclesiastical local powers to the process of independence of Portugal. I choose as chronological point of departure the period of government of Henry and Theresia (ca. 1095), and as final date the issue of the Papal bull of Alexander III «Manifestis probatum» (23rd. of May 1179). I pay attention to the events that I consider that are directly related to this problem, taking into account the already known sources and the abundant bibliography about this question.Through the annalysis of the facts and my own interpretation of them, I arrive to the conclusion that the civil power, with Alfonso Enríquez at the front, was the central element in the process of independence of Portugal, that was not supported by the local Church as an institution, but only by some of its members, mainly by Juan Peculiar and its circle. The Papacy, reluctant at first, approved the independence after thirty-six years of diplomatic efforts, when it realised that Portugal was viable as an independent kingdom under its protection in an Hispania divided in several kingdoms.