Battle of Lisbon
Battle of Lisbon, (1 July–25 October 1147). The capture of the city of Lisbon from the Almoravid Muslims was a by-product of the Second Crusade to the Holy Land and one of the few Christian victories of that campaign. It proved to be a pivotal turning point in the history of Portugal as it mutated from being a subordinate vassal of Leon into an independent Christian kingdom.
When he announced the start of the Second Crusade, Pope Eugene III stated that Christians in the Iberian Peninsula could crusade against the Muslims there rather than travel to the Holy Land. On 16 June 1147, 164 ships carrying 6,000 English, 5,000 German, and 2,000 Flemish crusaders put in to Porto to escape a storm. Afonso Henriques, self-proclaimed King of Portugal, asked them to join his own personal crusade to capture Lisbon from the Muslims. He offered them the moveable goods of the Muslims in the city and any ransoms that could be extracted.
The crusaders agreed and, on 1 July, laid siege to Lisbon while Afonso and his army occupied the surrounding countryside. The crusaders built mangonels and other devices and bombarded the city. The Muslims launched a sortie and burned the siege engines. Thereafter the fighting almost stopped as the crusaders settled down to a blockade. On 21 October, the garrison agreed to surrender on condition they were allowed to march out freely. The gates of Lisbon were opened four days later.
Owing to the agreed surrender, the crusaders did not get as much loot. Many English crusaders opted to stay in Portugal—one of them became Bishop of Lisbon—while the Germans and Flemings continued to the Holy Land. Lisbon became capital of Portugal, which won papal recognition as an independent kingdom.
Losses: Crusader, minimal of 15,000; Muslim, few of 7,000-strong garrison; civilian, unknown but minor.