Castle of Messejana

Parish of Messejana

Castle of Messejana
District Beja
Council Aljustrel
Parish Messejana
Area 113,77 km²
Inhabitants 892 (2011)
Density 7,8 hab./km²
Gentilic Aljustrelense, Vispascense
Construction ( )
Reign ( )
Style ( )
Conservation Mau

Its name comes from the Arabic word masjana, which means prison or jail. It derives from the verb sajana (to imprison, to put in prison).

Reconquered from the Moors by Dom Sancho II in 1235, it received the status of municipality from Dom Dinis (extinguished on October 24, 1855, by the Minister of the Kingdom Rodrigo da Fonseca). Dom Dinis had its castle restored in 1288 and donated the town to the Military Order of Santiago da Espada.

Dom João III donated it to Dom João da Silva, Lord of Vagos, known as the “Great Regent”. He was succeeded by his grandson Dom Lourenço da Silva, who built (1566-1570) the convent for Franciscan friars and the Church of Misericórdia. Dom Lourenço da Silva died with five brothers in 1578, in the battle of Alcácer Quibir, in which they participated at the request of their mother, who had received Dom Sebastião in Messejana in 1573.

Messejana had 11 churches: the Main Church, the Church of Misericórdia, the Church of Our Lady of Assumption, the Church of Our Lady of Carmel, the Church of St. Mark, the Church of the Convent, the Church of the Holy Kings, the Church of the Holy Spirit, St. Sebastian, St. Braz, St. Peter (the old one) and the Church of St. Peter (the new one), which was never finished. There were also three private chapels in Messejana.

Currently there are only four: the Main Church, the Church of Misericórdia, the Church of Our Lady of Assumption and the Church of the Holy Kings. In addition to the churches, there is also the chapel of the village of Elvas.

You can also see the ruins of the medieval castle, the clock tower, the ruins of the convent, the Alonso Gomes fountain, the Independence Cross, sunny houses and the Ethnographic Museum Public Library.

A historic town, it was the birthplace of illustrious people and the scene of important events. It received a charter from Manuel I of Portugal on July 1, 1512. John II of Portugal was in Messejana on October 8 and 9, 1495, when he was on his way to Caldas de Monchique, ill. When Sebastian, King of Portugal visited the South in 1573, he spent four days in Messejana with his entourage.

The town also included the parish of Conceição. After 1836, the parishes of Vale de Santiago, Alvalade, Casével and Panóias were annexed.

The Duke of Terceira was in Messejana with his military force, meeting his council of brigadiers on July 17, 1833, when the decision was made to take Lisbon, which gave victory to the liberals, who defeated the Miguelists on July 24, 1833.

Background

Brasão de Messejana

The Messejana Castle, in Alentejo, is located in the village and parish of the same name, in the municipality of Aljustrel, in the district of Beja, in Portugal.

Its name comes from the Arabic word masjana, which means prison or jail. It derives from the verb sajana (to imprison, to put in prison).

Although there is no reliable information regarding the early human occupation of this site, the village and its defenses already existed at the time of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.

The medieval castleseta_baixoseta_cima

Foto 1 castelo

During the Christian À época da Reconquest of the peninsula, the town was reconquered from the Moors in 1235 by the forces of Sancho II of Portugal (1223-1248).

During the reign of King Dinis (1279-1325), it was elevated to the status of a Municipality, and this sovereign donated the town and its domains to the Knights of the Order of Santiago, with the determination to restore its castle (1288).

The town received a New Charter from King Manuel I (1495-1521) on July 1, 1512. King John II (1481-1495) stayed here between October 8 and 9, 1495, when he was traveling ill to Caldas de Monchique.

Foto 4 castelo

During the reign of D.João III (1521-1557), this sovereign donated it to D.João da Silva, 6th Lord of Vagos, known by the epithet of Great Regent. He was succeeded as head of the domains by his son, D.Lourenço da Silva, 7th Lord of Vagos, who ordered the construction of the Franciscan Convent of the town and the Church of Misericórdia between 1566 and 1570. This nobleman died, along with five other brothers, in the disastrous Battle of Alcácer-Quibir (1578), in which they participated at the request of their mother, who had received Sebastian, King of Portugal (1568-1578) in Messejana in 1573.

From the 20th century to the present dayseta_baixoseta_cima

Foto 3 castelo

During the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834), the Duke of Terceira was in the town with his military force, meeting his council of brigadiers on July 17, 1833. It was during this meeting that the capture of Lisbon was decided, an operation that gave victory to the liberals, with the defeat of the Miguelists on July 24, 1833.

The Municipality was extinguished on October 24, 1835, by the Minister of the Kingdom, Rodrigo da Fonseca.

In addition to the churches, we can still see in Messejana the ruins of its medieval castle and the Clock Tower.

Events of the time

803 - Break between Charlemagne as Emperor of the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire.

805 - The emperor of Byzantium Nikephoros I of Constantinople suffers a heavy defeat in battle against the Saracens at Crasus.

811 - Battle of Virbitza between the Bulgarian Kroum Clan and the Byzantine Empire.

812 - Peace treaty between Emperor Charlemagne and the Empire.

814 - End of the Reign of Charlemagne.

822 - Abd al-Rahman II is appointed Caliph of Córdoba (822 to 852).

824- Louis I the Pious imposes his authority on the Papal States.

 - Battle between Abd-El-Raman III Caliph of Córdoba and Count Hermenegildo in Rio Tinto (Gondomar)

827 - Beginning of the conquest of Sicily by the Saracens.

833 - Apparition of Our Lady of the Abbey, also known as Our Lady of Bouro.
 - Louis I, the Pious , tried, condemned and deposed by his sons.