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The village of Monsaraz is one of the oldest Portuguese populations, the South of the Tejo. Its occupation dates of the prehistoric times, counting itself in the outskirts about hundred and megalíticos monument stocking. The proper mount where the village was constructed was probably a strenghtened prehistoric town, and in the Arrabalde a vast rupestre necropolis exists daily pay-Roman, of dug antropomorphus sepultures in the alive rock.

In 1157, it was conquered to the mouros for Geraldo Without Terror, but in 1173 it becomes to fall in being able of the almôadas ones, in the sequência of the defeat of D. Afonso Enriques in Badajoz. D. Sancho II, assisted for knights of the Templários, Monsaraz conquest definitively in 1232 and it makes its donation to the Order of the Temple. The Christian repovoamento of Monsaraz and its term alone comes to occur in the time of D. Afonso III and was workmanship of the knight Martim Anes, who seems to have been also first Alcaide de Monsaraz. In 1263, it is already an important fortified population and also pericito and endowed headquarters of one concelho with the amplest legal privileges: it possesss already the first letter of charter forwarded by D. Afonso III.

MORE INFO http://www.monsaraz.com.pt/