Salir
Encyclopedia
The Castle of Salir is an Almohad fortress, located in the civil parish of the same name (Salir), 16 kilometres from the municipality seat of Loulé in the Porutguese
Algarve.
occupation of the peninsula (around 11th-12th century). Its function was to protect the farmers from attacks by Christians, and which intensified after the conquest of Tavira
by knights of the Order of Santiago
.
It was conquered by King Sancho
in 1189, who spent the remaining years of the century reinforcing the defenses of the fortress (including building-up the walls). But, also, as the discovery of ceramics during archaeological excavations showed, the accommodations in the castle were improved.
Salir enters the compiled documents of the Portugaliae Monumenta Historica, as the name of a place taken by commander Paio Peres Correia. The master was to await the arrival of Afonso
(1248-1279) so that they could unite their forces and remove the last vestiges of resistance in the Algarve. Consequently, the fortification of Salir, within this context, had a strategic role. Later, a fire destroyed the castle, which was reconstructed two times, before actually falling into ruins.
By 1505, the parish of Salir had already an established population of 87 homes, while by the end of the century the castle was already in ruins.
An inventory in 1758 discovered that eleven homes were built within the castle walls. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake
did not provoke an emigration from the parish, even as it resulted in major damages to the castle: by 1798, the parish of São Sebastião de Salir accounted for 408 homes. In fact, by 1841, the castle was already discovered in ruins.
The first attempt at examining the castle's history began in 1987, with an archaeological investigation of the walls and surroundings.
alcalde
Aben-Fabilla, so a legend suggests, who escaped when he saw his castle being threatened by the army of Afonso III
. But, before fleeing, the alcalde buried all his gold, thinking that he could retrieve it later. When the Christians took the castle, they discovered it was empty, except for the beautiful daughter of the alcade who prayed with fervor, and who had preferred to stay in the castle and die a salir. From a nearby mountain, Aben-Fabilia saw his captive daughter in the hands of the Christians and with his right hand made a sign of the Star of David
, uttering some mysterious words. At that moment, while the knight Gonçalo Peres was talking to the girl, she was transformed into a statute of rock. The news of the enchanted Moor permeated the castle. But, one day the statue disappeared. The memory of the strange event became linked to Salir, whose towns folk named the village in honour of the courageous youth. The legend concludes with the reflection that, on certain nights, the enchanted statue appears in the Castle.
Portugal
Portugal , 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...
Algarve.
History
The castle was constructed during the AlmohadAlmohad
The Almohad Dynasty , was a Moroccan Berber-Muslim dynasty founded in the 12th century that established a Berber state in Tinmel in the Atlas Mountains in roughly 1120.The movement was started by Ibn Tumart in the Masmuda tribe, followed by Abd al-Mu'min al-Gumi between 1130 and his...
occupation of the peninsula (around 11th-12th century). Its function was to protect the farmers from attacks by Christians, and which intensified after the conquest of Tavira
Tavira
Tavira is a Portuguese city, situated at 37°07' north, 7°39' west in the east of the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal. It is 30 km east of Faro and 160 km west of Seville in Spain. The Gilão River meets the Atlantic Ocean in Tavira....
by knights of the Order of Santiago
Order of Santiago
The Order of Santiago was founded in the 12th century, and owes its name to the national patron of Galicia and Spain, Santiago , under whose banner the Christians of Galicia and Asturias began in the 9th century to combat and drive back the Muslims of the Iberian Peninsula.-History:Santiago de...
.
It was conquered by King Sancho
Sancho I of Portugal
Sancho I , nicknamed the Populator , second monarch of Portugal, was born on 11 November 1154 in Coimbra and died on 26 March 1212 in the same city. He was the second but only surviving legitimate son and fourth child of Afonso I of Portugal by his wife, Maud of Savoy. Sancho succeeded his father...
in 1189, who spent the remaining years of the century reinforcing the defenses of the fortress (including building-up the walls). But, also, as the discovery of ceramics during archaeological excavations showed, the accommodations in the castle were improved.
Salir enters the compiled documents of the Portugaliae Monumenta Historica, as the name of a place taken by commander Paio Peres Correia. The master was to await the arrival of Afonso
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
(1248-1279) so that they could unite their forces and remove the last vestiges of resistance in the Algarve. Consequently, the fortification of Salir, within this context, had a strategic role. Later, a fire destroyed the castle, which was reconstructed two times, before actually falling into ruins.
By 1505, the parish of Salir had already an established population of 87 homes, while by the end of the century the castle was already in ruins.
An inventory in 1758 discovered that eleven homes were built within the castle walls. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
did not provoke an emigration from the parish, even as it resulted in major damages to the castle: by 1798, the parish of São Sebastião de Salir accounted for 408 homes. In fact, by 1841, the castle was already discovered in ruins.
The first attempt at examining the castle's history began in 1987, with an archaeological investigation of the walls and surroundings.
Legend of the Moorish Castle of Salir
Salir received its name, from the "disappearance" of the daughter of the MoorishMoors
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...
alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
Aben-Fabilla, so a legend suggests, who escaped when he saw his castle being threatened by the army of Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
. But, before fleeing, the alcalde buried all his gold, thinking that he could retrieve it later. When the Christians took the castle, they discovered it was empty, except for the beautiful daughter of the alcade who prayed with fervor, and who had preferred to stay in the castle and die a salir. From a nearby mountain, Aben-Fabilia saw his captive daughter in the hands of the Christians and with his right hand made a sign of the Star of David
Star of David
The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
, uttering some mysterious words. At that moment, while the knight Gonçalo Peres was talking to the girl, she was transformed into a statute of rock. The news of the enchanted Moor permeated the castle. But, one day the statue disappeared. The memory of the strange event became linked to Salir, whose towns folk named the village in honour of the courageous youth. The legend concludes with the reflection that, on certain nights, the enchanted statue appears in the Castle.