Page 19 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Lisbon

INTRODUCING LISBON  17

THE HISTORY OF

LISBON

Over the centuries, Lisbon has both flourished and suffered. The city is most
famous for its history of maritime successes, in particular the voyages of Vasco
da Gama, who first navigated a sea route to India. In recent years the city has
flourished again, and it is now a major European centre of commerce.

According to myth, the Greek hero peninsula and occupied the city
Odysseus (also known as Ulysses) founded for almost 450 years. Lisbon was an
Lisbon on his journey home from Troy. important trading centre under the
The Phoenicians are known to have Moors and their legacy is evident today
established a trading post on the site in in the Castelo de São Jorge and the
around 1200 BC. From 205 BC the town streets of the Alfama district.
was in Roman hands, reaching the height The first king of Portugal, Afonso
of its importance when Julius Caesar Henriques, finally ousted the Moors from
became the governor in 60 BC. Lisbon in 1147. Among those who helped
With the collapse of the Roman Empire, was the English crusader Gilbert of
barbarian tribes invaded from northern Hastings, who became Lisbon’s first
Europe. The Alans, who conquered the bishop. A new cathedral was built below
city in around AD 409, were superseded the castle and, shortly afterwards, the
by the Suevi, who in turn were driven remains of St Vincent, the patron saint
out by the Visigoths. None of these tribes of Lisbon, were brought there. Lisbon
were primarily town-dwellers and Lisbon received its charter early in the 13th
began to decline. In 711 North African century, but it was not until 1256, under
Muslim invaders, the Moors, overran the Afonso III, that it became the capital.

Portuguese mariners’ chart of the North Atlantic (c.1550)
Illuminated page from the Chronica de Dom Afonso Henriques, showing Lisbon in the 16th century

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