Alcácer do Sal
Encyclopedia
Alcácer do Sal is a municipality in Portugal, located in Setúbal District. It has a total area of 1465 km² (565.6 sq mi) and a total population of 13,624 inhabitants.
Period, when the first peoples began to concentrate in the areas around Alcácer. This period was characterized by exploitation of the ecosystem in the Sado Estuary, when the river extended to São Romão, involving fishing, scavenging for shellfish, hunting and foraging in the local forests. The primitive tools, made from chert
, were adapted from the techniques of the late Paleolithic
era. By the late Mesolithic period, people had concentrated in the area of Comporta and Torrão, later establishing primitive defensive protection to support its communities.
These principal settlements were abandoned by the Copper Age
, but repopulated during the Iron Age
, as was the case of Alcácer. Mediterranean trade, pioneered by the Phoenicians, introduced commercial colonies in Abul and Alcácer (then referred to as Bevipo or Keition), where a written alphabet and currency allowed commerce to flourish.
, with the fall of Carthage
, Alcácer was annexed to the Roman Empire
(around 1st-2nd century B.C.). The region of Alcácer became known as Salatia Urbs Imperatoria in honor of the nymph, and wife of Neptune
, Salacia
, for its importance in the Iberian salt
trade and the number of routes
that crossed the area. Salatia suffered many of the problems that developed from the Roman urbes localized between Atlantic routes and Romanized northern Europe, and was made incrementally worse by Claudius
' initiatives into England and Wales. These problems changed during the 3rd Century, when the port of Salatia was devalued, in favor of Olisipo (Lisbon
).
With the rise of Gaul
, most of Hispania
became a vassal state of the larger empire. Returning to the Imperial fold with the reorganization of Roman territories by Diocletian
(in order to subvert the Military Anarchy that existed at the time), Salatia's role was transformed. In the following centuries, Salatia became a poor distant colony of the much larger centers of Setúbal
or Lisbon
. The only exception was Torrão, which continued to prosper. Until 711, when the region was annexed by the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus
, the population of the hilltop areas of Salatia left in favor of the low lands along the river.
, in the reign of Abu-l-Khattar (743-745) over the region of Beja, which included Alcácer, was noted for the recruitment of troops, and for the rising power of Yemeni clans in southern Portugal. The entire region was later administered by Egyptian Arab troops, that selected Beja as their regional seat. Until 844, Alcácer functioned as center for the collection of taxes in the lower Sado valley: collected primarily from the Christians who chose to remain in the valley. The first Viking raids in this year forced a political reorganization, and Alcácer became an important outpost of Al-Andalus
.
After an internal victory over Muladi
rebels in 888, the city was offered as reward to the Abu Denis clan, and its keep
was renamed Qaşr Abī Dānis (قصر أبي دانس ; Castle Abu Denis), commonly known simply as Al Qaşr (The Castle). The village of Al Qaşr was the base for a large fleet and arsenal that was used during the Christian-Moorish Reconquista
. In 997 a Moorish fleet transported troops from Alcácer to Oporto, to support Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
, that culminated in the destruction of the sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela
. It was then capital of the Al Qaşr Province, which by the 12th Century was a center of merchant traffic, supported by the opulent tastes of Évora. Muhammad al-Idrisi
noted that forestry, and in particular pine tree harvesting, was important during this period, as was cattle raising and major agricultural cultivation. During the Almoravid dynasty Al Qasr became the administrative regional seat of an area that extended along the Atlantic coast until Trujillo, Cáceres.
, when Afonso II of Portugal
had a truce with the Almohads, the familial Sueiro Bishops of Lisbon
and Évora
joined the Cistercian abbot
of Alcobaça, the commander of Palmela
, the Templars, the Hospitallers, and magnates, in an attempt to persuade the crusaders to attack the Moors
in Alácer do Sal. The regional seat of Alcácer had been lost since 1191 after several battles. The Crusaders
departed for the Holy Land
, even after being provided food, expenses, and rousing oratories about the Almohads' annual demands for 100 Christians in tribute. Meanwhile, ships sent by Frederick II
(the Holy Roman Emperor
) to join 80 ships already travelling to the Holy Land, arrived in Alácer do Sal, and on 2 August 1217 they were joined by Portuguese sent to lay siege to the castle. Muslim governors in Seville
, Córdoba
, Jaén
and Badajoz
attempted to relieve the garrison but their reinforcements were defeated on 11 September. The castle surrendered on 18 October 1217, with additional Christian troops provided by Pedro Alvítiz from Spain, as well as "divine intervention".
Once the castle was taken, many of the northern Crusaders requested Pope Honorious III allow them to remain for a year "for the liberation of Spain" and "the extirpation of the perfidious cult of the pagans". The victory in Alcácer do Sal also motivated Alfonso IX of León
, Sancho II of Navarre, in addition to Spanish prelates and nobles, to break their truces with the Muslim leaders, in hopes that the northern Crusaders would continue their campaigns the following summer. But, the Pope granted only absolution from their vows to those who could not continue to the Holy Land, and the Crusaders left the Castle to the Portuguese and continued on to Acre
.
Al Qaşr, which was the only true success in the Fifth Crusade, was transliterated into Latin
phonetics and "Sal" (from the former Roman
name Salatia) was appended to the toponymy
. In 1218, it received its foral
from King Afonso II
, and handed over to the Knights of Santiago, who made it their headquarters during their advance into the Alentejo and Algarve. The Order of Santiago dominated an area from Sesimbra
until the Algarve, controlling the lower Sado, Alentejo Litoral and coast of Cape St. Vincent
. At the end of the 13th century, the Order advanced to Mértola
to support reconquest of the Algarve, but later retreated to Alcácer and remained there until 1482, when they returned to Palmela
.
Along with the Christians and the town's small population of Jews, the remaining Muslims in Alácer do Sal begin to occupy the low country along the river, and vacate the Castle. The Muslims, under the "King's protection" remained in the community.
In 1495, Manuel I
was acclaimed King by the residents of the village.
reported so far in Europe and, according to the authors, likely associated with the influx of African slaves between the 15th and 19th centuries.
.
Alcácer do Sal is a historical city and municipality that overlooks the Sado River
; its medieval town developed from barrios
that surrounded an ancient Muslim castle. Alcácer do Sal is the municipal seat, which includes two civil parishes, both having a population of 6002 residents.
The second-largest municipality in the country, it is administratively subdivided into six civil parishes :
A very interesting museum, documenting the occupation of the city since the Iron Age
, exists under the castle, now a pousada hotel.
History
Earliest settlement
There has been human settlement in the area for more than 40,000 years; archaeological investigations have placed human presence here back to the MesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
Period, when the first peoples began to concentrate in the areas around Alcácer. This period was characterized by exploitation of the ecosystem in the Sado Estuary, when the river extended to São Romão, involving fishing, scavenging for shellfish, hunting and foraging in the local forests. The primitive tools, made from chert
Chert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
, were adapted from the techniques of the late Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
era. By the late Mesolithic period, people had concentrated in the area of Comporta and Torrão, later establishing primitive defensive protection to support its communities.
These principal settlements were abandoned by the Copper Age
Copper Age
The Chalcolithic |stone]]") period or Copper Age, also known as the Eneolithic/Æneolithic , is a phase of the Bronze Age in which the addition of tin to copper to form bronze during smelting remained yet unknown by the metallurgists of the times...
, but repopulated during the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, as was the case of Alcácer. Mediterranean trade, pioneered by the Phoenicians, introduced commercial colonies in Abul and Alcácer (then referred to as Bevipo or Keition), where a written alphabet and currency allowed commerce to flourish.
Roman Era
After the Third Punic WarThird Punic War
The Third Punic War was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic...
, with the fall of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, Alcácer was annexed to the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
(around 1st-2nd century B.C.). The region of Alcácer became known as Salatia Urbs Imperatoria in honor of the nymph, and wife of Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
, Salacia
Salacia (mythology)
This article is about the goddess of salt water, Neptune’s wife.In ancient Roman mythology, Salacia was the female divinity of the sea, worshipped as the goddess of salt water who presided over the depths of the ocean. She was the wife and queen of Neptune, god of the sea and water...
, for its importance in the Iberian salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
trade and the number of routes
Salt Road
A salt road ) is any of the prehistoric and historical trade routes by which essential salt has been transported to regions that lacked it ....
that crossed the area. Salatia suffered many of the problems that developed from the Roman urbes localized between Atlantic routes and Romanized northern Europe, and was made incrementally worse by Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
' initiatives into England and Wales. These problems changed during the 3rd Century, when the port of Salatia was devalued, in favor of Olisipo (Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
).
With the rise of Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
, most of Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
became a vassal state of the larger empire. Returning to the Imperial fold with the reorganization of Roman territories by Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
(in order to subvert the Military Anarchy that existed at the time), Salatia's role was transformed. In the following centuries, Salatia became a poor distant colony of the much larger centers of Setúbal
Setúbal
Setúbal is the main city in Setúbal Municipality in Portugal with a total area of 172.0 km² and a total population of 118,696 inhabitants in the municipality. The city proper has 89,303 inhabitants....
or Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. The only exception was Torrão, which continued to prosper. Until 711, when the region was annexed by the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, the population of the hilltop areas of Salatia left in favor of the low lands along the river.
Al-Andalus
The Ummayad rule on the Iberian PeninsulaIberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, in the reign of Abu-l-Khattar (743-745) over the region of Beja, which included Alcácer, was noted for the recruitment of troops, and for the rising power of Yemeni clans in southern Portugal. The entire region was later administered by Egyptian Arab troops, that selected Beja as their regional seat. Until 844, Alcácer functioned as center for the collection of taxes in the lower Sado valley: collected primarily from the Christians who chose to remain in the valley. The first Viking raids in this year forced a political reorganization, and Alcácer became an important outpost of Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
.
After an internal victory over Muladi
Muladi
The Muladi were Muslims of ethnic Iberian descent or of mixed Arab, Berber and European origin, who lived in Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. They were also called "Musalima" .-Etymology:...
rebels in 888, the city was offered as reward to the Abu Denis clan, and its keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
was renamed Qaşr Abī Dānis (قصر أبي دانس ; Castle Abu Denis), commonly known simply as Al Qaşr (The Castle). The village of Al Qaşr was the base for a large fleet and arsenal that was used during the Christian-Moorish Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
. In 997 a Moorish fleet transported troops from Alcácer to Oporto, to support Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur , better known as Almanzor, was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries. His rule marked the peak of power for Moorish Iberia.-Origins:He was born Muhammad Ibn Abi Aamir, into a noble Arab...
, that culminated in the destruction of the sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
. It was then capital of the Al Qaşr Province, which by the 12th Century was a center of merchant traffic, supported by the opulent tastes of Évora. Muhammad al-Idrisi
Muhammad al-Idrisi
Abu Abd Allah Muhammad al-Idrisi al-Qurtubi al-Hasani al-Sabti or simply Al Idrisi was a Moroccan Muslim geographer, cartographer, Egyptologist and traveller who lived in Sicily, at the court of King Roger II. Muhammed al-Idrisi was born in Ceuta then belonging to the Almoravid Empire and died in...
noted that forestry, and in particular pine tree harvesting, was important during this period, as was cattle raising and major agricultural cultivation. During the Almoravid dynasty Al Qasr became the administrative regional seat of an area that extended along the Atlantic coast until Trujillo, Cáceres.
Crusades
During the Fifth CrusadeFifth Crusade
The Fifth Crusade was an attempt to reacquire Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land by first conquering the powerful Ayyubid state in Egypt....
, when Afonso II of Portugal
Afonso II of Portugal
Afonso II , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , nicknamed "the Fat" , third king of Portugal, was born in Coimbra on 23 April 1185 and died on 25 March 1223 in the same city. He was the second but eldest surviving son of Sancho I of Portugal by his wife, Dulce, Infanta of Aragon...
had a truce with the Almohads, the familial Sueiro Bishops of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
joined the Cistercian abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Alcobaça, the commander of Palmela
Palmela
Palmela is a town and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of and a total population of 58,222 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 5 parishes, and is located in Setúbal District, about south of Lisbon.The municipal holiday is June 1....
, the Templars, the Hospitallers, and magnates, in an attempt to persuade the crusaders to attack the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in Alácer do Sal. The regional seat of Alcácer had been lost since 1191 after several battles. The Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
departed for the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, even after being provided food, expenses, and rousing oratories about the Almohads' annual demands for 100 Christians in tribute. Meanwhile, ships sent by Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
(the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
) to join 80 ships already travelling to the Holy Land, arrived in Alácer do Sal, and on 2 August 1217 they were joined by Portuguese sent to lay siege to the castle. Muslim governors in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
, Jaén
Jaén, Spain
Jaén is a city in south-central Spain, the name is derived from the Arabic word Jayyan, . It is the capital of the province of Jaén. It is located in the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and Badajoz
Badajoz
Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain, situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid–Lisbon railway. The population in 2007 was 145,257....
attempted to relieve the garrison but their reinforcements were defeated on 11 September. The castle surrendered on 18 October 1217, with additional Christian troops provided by Pedro Alvítiz from Spain, as well as "divine intervention".
Once the castle was taken, many of the northern Crusaders requested Pope Honorious III allow them to remain for a year "for the liberation of Spain" and "the extirpation of the perfidious cult of the pagans". The victory in Alcácer do Sal also motivated Alfonso IX of León
Alfonso IX of Leon
Alfonso IX was king of León and Galicia from the death of his father Ferdinand II in 1188 until his own death...
, Sancho II of Navarre, in addition to Spanish prelates and nobles, to break their truces with the Muslim leaders, in hopes that the northern Crusaders would continue their campaigns the following summer. But, the Pope granted only absolution from their vows to those who could not continue to the Holy Land, and the Crusaders left the Castle to the Portuguese and continued on to Acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
.
Al Qaşr, which was the only true success in the Fifth Crusade, was transliterated into Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
phonetics and "Sal" (from the former Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
name Salatia) was appended to the toponymy
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
. In 1218, it received its foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
from King Afonso II
Afonso II of Portugal
Afonso II , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , nicknamed "the Fat" , third king of Portugal, was born in Coimbra on 23 April 1185 and died on 25 March 1223 in the same city. He was the second but eldest surviving son of Sancho I of Portugal by his wife, Dulce, Infanta of Aragon...
, and handed over to the Knights of Santiago, who made it their headquarters during their advance into the Alentejo and Algarve. The Order of Santiago dominated an area from Sesimbra
Sesimbra
-References:Bibliography*The Rough Guide to Portugal; 11th edition, March 2005; ISBN 1-84353-438-X*Rentes de Carvalho, J. - Portugal, um guia para amigos ; De Arbeiderspers, 9th ed. August 1999; ISBN 90-295-3457-5Notes...
until the Algarve, controlling the lower Sado, Alentejo Litoral and coast of Cape St. Vincent
Cape St. Vincent
Cape St. Vincent , next to the Sagres Point, on the so-called Costa Vicentina , is a headland in the municipality of Sagres, in the Algarve, southern Portugal.- Description :This cape is the southwesternmost point in Portugal...
. At the end of the 13th century, the Order advanced to Mértola
Mértola
Mértola is a municipality in southeastern Portugal next to the Spanish border. It has a total area of 1,292.87 km² and a total population of 8,712 inhabitants . In terms of land area, it is the sixth-largest municipality in Portugal. The resultant population density of 6.74 persons/km² is the...
to support reconquest of the Algarve, but later retreated to Alcácer and remained there until 1482, when they returned to Palmela
Palmela
Palmela is a town and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of and a total population of 58,222 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 5 parishes, and is located in Setúbal District, about south of Lisbon.The municipal holiday is June 1....
.
Along with the Christians and the town's small population of Jews, the remaining Muslims in Alácer do Sal begin to occupy the low country along the river, and vacate the Castle. The Muslims, under the "King's protection" remained in the community.
In 1495, Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
was acclaimed King by the residents of the village.
Slave trade
By the 16th century, the whole Sado Basin, where Alcácer do Sal is located, had experienced an important African immigration as a way to compensate for the demographic deficit that accompanied the Portuguese overseas expansion. Later, in the 18th century, a new wave of slaves was recruited to Alcácer do Sal to work the salt fields and cultivate rice, the two important economic activities in the region. A recent genetic study in 2010 found in Alcacer the highest frequencies (22%) of Sub-Saharan maternal lineagesMacro-haplogroup L (mtDNA)
In human mitochondrial genetics, L is the mitochondrial DNA macro-haplogroup that is at the root of the human mtDNA phylogenetic tree. As such, it represents the most ancestral mitochondrial lineage of all currently living modern humans....
reported so far in Europe and, according to the authors, likely associated with the influx of African slaves between the 15th and 19th centuries.
Physical geography
A few kilometres from the city of Alcácer, along the course of the Sado, is the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado (Sado Estuary Nature Reserve) which covers an area of 23.16 hectare, comprising marshes, canals, streams and mangroves.Human geography
The municipality is bounded to the north by the municipalities of Palmela, Vendas Novas and Montemor-o-Novo; northeast by Viana do Alentejo; east by Alvito; south by Ferreira do Alentejo and Grândola; to the west, also by Grândola, along a branch of the Sado Estuary; and northwest by the SetúbalSetúbal Municipality
Setúbal Municipality is located in Setúbal District. The main city is Setúbal.The municipality of Setúbal is composed of 8 parishes, and is the seat of the Setúbal District on the subregion of Península de Setúbal...
.
Alcácer do Sal is a historical city and municipality that overlooks the Sado River
Sado River
The Sado River is a river in Southern Portugal, and is one of the major rivers in the country. It flows in a South/North direction through 175 km from its springs in the Caldeirão hills before entering the Atlantic Ocean in an estuary in the city of Setúbal.In Setúbal, its estuary is famous...
; its medieval town developed from barrios
Barrios
Barrios, de Barrios, Barrio or Berrios is a surname of Basque origin. The name may refer to:-People:*Agustín Barrios , Paraguayan guitarist and composer*Artur Barrio , Brazilian artist...
that surrounded an ancient Muslim castle. Alcácer do Sal is the municipal seat, which includes two civil parishes, both having a population of 6002 residents.
The second-largest municipality in the country, it is administratively subdivided into six civil parishes :
- Santa Maria do Castelo
- Santiago]
- Comporta - although a traditional a centre of rice cultivation and fishing, the parish and villages have seen more interest recently with tourism, associated with the white-sand beaches of the Sado estuary, and its proximity to the coastal beaches of the Atlantic. Its resident population is less than 1400 permanent inhabitants, although throughout the summer these numbers increase with the influx of vacationers and tourists;
- Santa Susana - this small parish that includes many white-painted houses, is the location of the municipalities principal dam, Pego do Altar, and tourist-friendly water activities and forests;
- São Martinho
- Torrão - Torrão received a ManuelineManuelineThe Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
foralForalthumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
in 1512, that disappeared later. The parish, 35 kilometers from the municipal seat, was the birthplace of Bernardim Ribeiro, 15th Century poet and writer.
A very interesting museum, documenting the occupation of the city since the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, exists under the castle, now a pousada hotel.
Civic
- Archaeological site of Senhor dos Mártires
Religious
- Convent of Nossa Senhora de Ara Caeli
Notable citizens
- Bernardim RibeiroBernardim RibeiroBernardim Ribeiro was a Portuguese poet and writer. His father, Damião Ribeiro, was implicated in the conspiracy against John II of Portugal...
(1482 – October 1552, LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
), poet and writer, remembered for Livro das Saudades, one of the finest examples of shepherd romances; - Pedro NunesPedro NunesPedro Nunes , was a Portuguese mathematician, cosmographer, and professor, from a New Christian family. Nunes, considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians of his time , is best known for his contributions in the technical field of navigation, which was crucial to the Portuguese period of...
(1502 – 11 August 1578, CoimbraCoimbraCoimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
), was a mathematicianMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, cosmographer, and professorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
; best known for his contributions in the technical field of navigationNavigationNavigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
, which was crucial to the PortuguesePortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Age of DiscoveryAge of DiscoveryThe Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
; - Manuel de Brito CamachoManuel de Brito CamachoManuel de Brito Camacho a military officer, writer, publicist and politician, who among other positions, was Minister of Public Works, Commerce and Industry and Republican High Commissioner to Mozambique...
(12 February 1862 – 19 September 1934), was a military officer, writer, publicistPublicistA publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
and politician during the Portuguese First RepublicPortuguese First RepublicThe Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
; - Francisco Gentil (1878 – 1964), was a medic, professor, and director of the Institute of Oncology in Lisbon, as well as author of diverse works on medicine;
- Ruy Coelho (2 March 1886 – 5 May 1986), composer of innovative symphonies and operas;
- João Branco NúncioJoão Branco NúncioJoão Alves Branco Núncio was a Portuguese bullfighter. He was born in Alcácer do Sal, in a whitewashed house next to that of his uncle, the Viscount of Alcácer do Sal. Today it belongs to the Viscount's Philharmonic Friendship Society.He was the son and grandson of farm-hands...
(15 February 1901 – 26 January 1976), remembered as the Califa de Alcácer, he was a master equestrian and bullfighter, responsible for 1000 matches in his lifetime; - Maria Rosa Colaço (1935 – 13 October 2004) - a writer, known for A Criança e a Vida, an anthology of children's texts.