António Brandão and the invention of the “Cortes de Lamego” in 1143

Abstract

This article offers a new interpretation of the “Cortes de Lamego” assembly, supposedly held in the twelfth century, and included in the third volume of the Monarquia Lusitana, written in 1632 by António Brandão. The author places the assembly in the context of the “Ourique Miracle”, which already had a long tradition at that time. The traditional interpretations will be discussed and we will explain why we think they are erroneous, in the light of our belief that they were influenced not so much by the circumstances of 1632, but by the ones of 1640 onwards. We believe that Brandão was close to the royal court and that the invention of the “Cortes de Lamego” was in response to the need to justify the rise of the Avis dynasty in 1385, whose legitimacy was questioned by Castilian chroniclers of that period. They used the illegitimacy of the Avis to justify the subordination of Portugal to Castile. In this way, we see the “cortes de Lamego” as an attempt to legitimise not only the Portuguese past but also the present, by stating the Portuguese kingdom had the same dignity than Castile.