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Afonso III

Afonso III extract from Britannica Online.

(born May 5, 1210, Coimbra, Port.—died Feb. 16, 1279, Lisbon) King of Portugal (1248–79). He emigrated to France and became, by marriage, count of Boulogne. He gained the Portuguese crown when his older brother Sancho II was deposed by order of the pope. As king, Afonso regained control of the district of Faro (1249) and completed the reconquest of the Algarve from the Muslims. His reign saw the first admission of commoners to the Portuguese Cortes (parliament). Afonso's assertion of the royal right to repossess church lands led to his excommunication by the pope.

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