At the time of the Christian Reconquista of the peninsula belonged to the Master of the Order of Santiago, with letter charter granted by Dinis of Portugal on 17 April 1285. Through this document were provided great privileges, among them “the people do not pay part in any toll “or” the village cattle and his term pay mounts “as established in the Livro de Regimento de Verdes e Montados “Rules book of Greens and mounted”.

Later, Manuel I of Portugal, on June 1, 1512 granted the Foral New to the village, confirming and extending the privileges granted by D. Dinis.

The Ourique Foundation is traditionally dated 711, the year of entry of Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula. However, several factors point to a rearmost existence.

Several settlements since prehistoric times, locations documented by various archaeological campaigns are known. From the Paleolithic, Chalcolithic, Iron Age and Bronze, the proto-historic presence, Roman, Celtic, Arab, a large number of people crossed these lands.
As for the origin of the place name of Ourique, it may be between Gold (by proximity to gold-bearing holdings) and Orik (the Arabic word for misfortune, following the Moorish defeat in the Battle of Ourique).

It should also Muslims will the building of Ourique Castle, legendary military structure and that still fills memories. This castle will, in all likelihood, alternating several times between the Crescent and the Cross, depending on the sort of weapons. The reconquest of the times would have an essentially defensive watchtower role, with the advance guard the Castro da Cola. One of the most important references to this fortification is made by the Arab chronicler Ahmed Benmohmed Arrazi that in the tenth century, refers to him as one of the strongest of Beja term.

The geographical and strategic importance of Ourique and its territory, or term, is recognized over the centuries, so it has always played in the South most importantly military and commercial paper, while connecting with the valley of the Sado and the Algarve hills.
Thus constituted as one of the central components in the conquest of territory from the Muslims, having witnessed the famous Battle of Ourique.

The Battle of Ourique, Ourique occurred in the fields to July 25, 1139, it was decisive for the independence of Portugal. Led by Afonso Henriques, the Christian troops conquered with great difficulty Muslims led by the governor of Santarém.

According to legend, before the melee Christ have appeared to Afonso Henriques, guaranteeing victory, relying on religious motivations that drove our Prince. Thus, the battle that would follow was, in a way, protected by divine power. The victory across the board against the “five Moorish kings”, allowed then and in the open field of battle, Afonso Henriques was acclaimed by his army as King of Portugal.

Serpa was already populated before the domain of the Romans, however these were that fomented the county, especially at the farm level. In 1166 it was conquered from the Moors by D. Afonso Henriques, and was lost several times in the constant struggles of the Reconquista.

It was definitely established as a county by D. Dinis, who also sent rebuild your castle and Serpa surround by a ring of walls, in 1295.

Its location, close to the Spanish border, caused serious problems for the development of this county. In the Wars of Restoration, Serpa was almost completely destroyed, including its stronghold.

Mértola is a tipical Portuguese village raiana the district of Beja, Alentejo region and sub-region of Alentejo, with more than 2000 inhabitants.

The village is situated on a hill on the right bank of the Guadiana River, just upstream of the confluence the Oeiras river.

It is home to one of the largest municipality of Portugal, with 1 292.87 km² of area.

The municipality is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Beja and Serpa, the east Spain, south and west by Alcoutim by Almodovar and Castro Verde.

The Mértola village is known by the São Domingos mine.

The title of Real Basilica was granted by King John V in honor of the victory of the first king of Portugal – D. Afonso Henriques – on the five kings Moors, which occurred on July 25, day of Santiago, ran the year 1139.

In Castro Verde Real Basilica can also visit the Treasury of the Basilica, museum center of religious art, where you can enjoy some of the most important religious ornaments of the county, with special emphasis on the head-reliquary of St. Fabiano (Casével) and the Custody the very Basilica.

The Treasury is integrated into the network of religious art centers of the Historical and Artistic Heritage Department of Beja Diocese.

Legend has it and wants to tradition, briefly, that on July 25, 1139, D. Afonso Henriques, guided by a divine mediator, the hermit Leovigildo Pires de Almeida, who announced her the day before the appearance of Christ on the Cross at the site of battle and victory over the infidel, defeated the armies of five powerful Moorish kings.

The symbolic importance that this legend has acquired and the fragile historical support from reports that the report from the fourteenth century, no wonder that there have been, over time, different interpretations and locations for the sacred ground of the battle: the Alentejo town of Ourique ; S. Pedro das Cabeças, in Castro Verde, Ourique Cartaxo, Leiria, Penela, etc.

Although the historical sources not certify the existence at the time of a great battle and be mythical his narrative, the vision of medieval chroniclers (probably inspired by chansons de geste broadcast by minstrels) is clear on one point: was in St. Peter of heads Afonso Henriques challenged and fought the five Moorish kings. It is the weight of tradition and the importance that the place had already acquired in the Portuguese imaginary which are reflected in the visit that Sebastian did to this place on 7 January 1573. In honor of signal, as referring to a coeval document, the monarch came down from his horse, “said some very good words said ‘come on foot” the bollards where the King Dom Afonso Henriques was a great victory against the Moors’ and ordered, in his memory, to arise a’ very sumptuous building ‘.

The topography and local features (the hills set that animate the meadow and the existence in these, of ancient fortifications remains) favored the imagination with some writers describe and interpret the Battle of Ourique, Fr. Augustine of Santa Maria to Fr. Manuel of the Upper Room. (…)

According to historical tradition, was together in S. Pedro das Cabeças that struck in 1139, the Battle of Ourique. A miracle that is portrayed in the coat of arms of Portugal: five escutcheons, representing the Five Wounds of Jesus and the five Moorish kings defeated in battle.