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1129. MARCH. AFONSO REVEALS HIMSELF . . .

According to the historical account, “Knowing of this donation [Souré], and intending himself to be the landlord of this property, so as not to let down the members of the Order (to whom he was greatly obligated) by rescinding the donation, he thus granted the donation of said castle, but this time in his own name.”¹

Afonso Henriques nullified the previous donation of Souré and within the year replaced it with an expanded donation in his own name, without the restrictions imposed in the original document.²

Afonso’s wording on the reconstituted charter to the Knights Templar evokes the passion of a young, focused man, referring to his new position as “only by the mercy of God, Prince of the Portuguese,” but also unequivocally reveals why he was so “greatly obligated” to the Order of the Temple: “I make this donation, not by force or by persuasion, but for the love of God, and for the good of my soul, and of my parents, and by the cordial love that I have for you, and because within your Brotherhood and in all your works I am a Brother.”³

It was not unusual for the inner members of the Order of the Temple to address each other informally as “brothers”; the highest-ranking member himself is addressed as such in the Rule, “Master, Brother Hugues de Payens.”⁴ Thus, Afonso Henriques reveals that at the age of twenty he is a fully fledged member of the brotherhood of the Knights Templar, and probably had been since his knighting ceremony in Zamora, as suspected.

Beside his name on the vellum document is inscribed the unmistakable Templar logo.

Afonso Henriques.