Afonso I of Portugal vs Peter III of Aragon

Afonso Henriques defeated a larger Almoravid army at Ourique. According to tradition, he was acclaimed King of Portugal on the battlefield. This victory established his reputation and laid the foundation for Portuguese independence.

Afonso I signed the Treaty of Zamora with King Alfonso VII of Le

Afonso I, with the help of Crusaders on the Second Crusade, besieged and captured Lisbon from the Moors. This conquest made Lisbon the capital of Portugal and a major port, expanding the kingdom southward.

Afonso I attacked Badajoz but was defeated by the Leonese army. He was captured and forced to surrender most of his conquests in Galicia and Extremadura. This defeat limited Portuguese expansion eastward.

Pope Alexander III issued the bull Manifestis Probatum, formally recognizing Afonso I as King of Portugal and placing the kingdom under papal protection. This confirmed Portugal's independence and legitimacy.

Following the Sicilian Vespers rebellion against Angevin rule, Peter III invaded Sicily and was crowned king in Palermo. This conquest established Aragonese rule in Sicily and triggered a long conflict with the Angevin dynasty and the Papacy.

Peter III landed at Trapani and quickly conquered the island of Sicily, defeating the Angevin forces of Charles I. He was crowned King of Sicily in Palermo, establishing the Aragonese Sicilian dynasty.

Pope Martin IV excommunicated Peter III for invading Sicily, a papal fief, and declared a crusade against him. The excommunication isolated Aragon diplomatically and led to a French invasion of Catalonia.

Peter III successfully defended the Crown of Aragon against a French crusade led by Philip III of France. The French army was defeated at the Battle of the Col de Panissars and forced to retreat, securing Aragonese independence.