About the Foundation
Fundação Batalha de Aljubarrota
The Fundação Batalha de Aljubarrota (FBA) was devised with the intent to value and dignify a part of the Portuguese cultural Heritage associated to the main battlefields in Portugal.
Over the course of over eight hundred years of Portuguese History, although there were several military confrontations within Portuguese territory with different levels of strategic and political importance, it is presently possible to identify the battles that were decisive in the creation and consolidation of Portugal, as a free and independent country.
On these battlefields, where the future of the entire nation was decided in one day alone, the courage, the effectiveness and the determination of the Portuguese secured national sovereignty forever and allowed the Portuguese to govern their own destiny.
When analyzing the History of Portugal, the battles held during the War of the Independence (1383 to 1432) and during the War of Restoration (1640 to 1668) were particularly important in the creation and consolidation of Portugal.
Therefore, the Battle of Aljubarrota Foundation considered that there are more than enough reasons that justified the recovery and valorisation of the respective battlefields, not only to facilitate the study of the facts and events of the respective periods, but also to attract the national and international public, that increasingly seek relevant historical places to visit.
The creation of the Foundation also provided two additional advantages:
- firstly, it allowed six historical locations that until 2001 were completely forgoten and abandoned, the battlefields of Atoleiros (1384), Trancoso (1385), Aljubarrota (1385), Linhas de Elvas (1659), Ameixial (1663) and Montes Claros (1665), to finally be treated in the context of their importance in the History of Portugal and in the process of the European political construction;
- secondly, and similarly to what has occoured in the majority of development countries, namely in Europe and in the U.S.A., the Foundation has made a strong contribution in the valorisation of relevant historical places, which in turn has provided the respectives regions with potential important turistic development sites.
Sendo a recuperação e valorização dos principais campos de batalha portugueses, bem como a sua subsequente abertura ao público, uma missão a médio e longo prazo, a Fundação contribuirá para a sua implementação através de um diálogo e trabalho conjunto com o Estado Português, com a comunidade científica e com a sociedade civil portuguesa.
The strategic objectives of the Battle of Aljubarrota Foundation can be summarized in the following points:
- Transmitting the importance of what happened at these historical locations to both present and future generations, namely the values related to efficiency, determination and courage that define the actions of the Portuguese.
- Recuperation and valorisation of the main battlefields associated to the creation and consolidation of Portugal.
- Historical and archaeological research of these battlefields, whenever possible in partnership with Portuguese universities, therefore enhancing their interpretation and investigation possiblities.
- Explaining, to both Portuguese and foreign public, the importance that the development and result of these battles had in the creation of the national identify of the Portuguese people.
- Opening Interpretation Centres in the refered battlefields, especially to the public on the Battles referred, especially focusing on the Interpretation Centre of the Battle of Aljubarrota.
- Recovery of the landscape of these historical sites and, whenever possible, the restoration of the vegetation that existed at the time od the battles.
- Description of the behaviour of the main figures that participated in the events.
- Attract the attention of students, by providing a detailed description of the historical events that took place in these battlefields.
- Diálogo com os residentes que habitam dentro das áreas classificadas, de modo a proporcionar-lhes um aumento da sua qualidade de vida.
- Converting the battlefields into study and research grounds.
- Organize historical re-enactments of the refered battles, preferably on the battlefields were they took place.
- Organize conferences on the History of Portugal, related to the two periods referred above. Cooperation with international institutions dedicated to the study and research of medieval battles, as well of battles held in the XVII century.
- Reinforce the cooperation between the Portuguese State and cultural and scientific institutions.
