São João (Abrantes)

São João, or São João Baptista, is a Portuguese civil parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes, in Santarém District. It is one of the three parishes that make-up the urbanized area of the city. The parish has a population of 1850 inhabitants and a total area of 2.27 km², being the smallest parish in the municipality.

History

The origin of São João has its base in the early settlement of Abrantes, which was first documented in 1176. Afonso Henriques donated its castle to the Order of Santiago de la Espada in 1173, but donated the fish channel to the Monastery of Lorvão, three years later. His charity was partly to support its residents, but also allowed the King to obtain a tithe equivalent to nine-tenths of the catch. In 1179, Afonso Henriques conceded a foral to Abrantes, which was later confirmed by King Afonso II in 1217. On 24 April 1281, King Denis donated the Abrantes to his wife, Queen Elizabeth of Aragon, while still expanding the fort, that included the construction the detention block. Attempting to expand the settlement, the King expanded its jurisdiction by including Punhete (today Constância) within its borders.

During the 17th/18th Century Abrantes was an important military center, classified a Praça de Guerra de 1.ª Ordem (English: War Plaza of the First Order).

In 1807, during the Napoleonic Invasions of the peninsula, the fort and parish was a staging point for Marshall Jean-Andoche Junot's troops (23 November).^[1] Later, Marshall André Massena's forces encircled the fort and settlement, but the Anglo-Portuguese troops and local inhabitants defended the parish, until he was forced to abandon Portugal for Spain.^[2]

The Church of Saint John the Baptist (Portuguese: Igreja de São João Baptista) was founded in 1300, by Elizabeth of Aragon, and the settlement was elevated to parish shortly after (in 1326). It was from this church that King John I departed for Aljubarrota, after mass, on 8 August 1385, making a promise to return and say prayers of thanksgiving for his success in battle. With his victory conceived, John I returned and ordered a sculpture in rock erected of the image of John the Baptist.

Geography

The parish is a circular administrative division located on the northern margin of the Tagus River, representing the southern border of the city of Abrantes. Its neighbors include the parish of Alferrarede (to the east), Rossio ao Sul do Tejo (to the southwest), São Miguel do Rio Torto (to the southwest) and São Vicente (in the northwest).

Architecture

Military

• Fortaleza de Abrantes (English: Fort of Abrantes)

Religious

• Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo (English: Church of Blessed Virgin Mary of the Castle)
• Igreja de São João Baptista (English: Church of Saint John the Baptist)
• Igreja da Misercórdia (English: Church of Forgiveness)
• Convento de São Domingos (English: Convent of Saint Dominic)

Culture

Festivities

Annually bringing about 250,000 visitors to the parish, the Festas de Abrantes (English: Festivals of Abrantes) are the principal socio-cultural event of the parish, celebrated on the second week of June. Religiously, the Festa da Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem (English: Feast/Festival of Our Lady of the Good Voyage), in the locality of Barreiras do Tejo, is annually celebrated in August/September.

References

Notes

Sources

• Southey, Robert (1823). The History of the Peninsular War. 1. London, England: John Murray. http://books.google.ca/books?id=lzkPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA84&dq=abrantes&hl=en&ei=OIvnTIuPKIWG5Abivej4Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=abrantes&f=false.