At the time of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian peninsula, some evidence point to a supposed conquest by King Afonso Henriques (1112-1185) in 1148, as well as the granting of a charter in 1180. It is known with more certainty, that the town was in the domain of the Kingdom of Portugal in 1232 with municipal organization  in 1276.

Along the 13th Century the medieval fortifications were made and unmade for the manor interests always fought with the interests of the crown and also with the population that would rather have the distant king as their lord of the manor. Finally rises the castle on the initiative of King Dinis, it was concluded during the reign of his son, Afonso IV in 1327. This is how Vide became Castelo de Vide.

The visible basic materials employed in all fortifications are stone (granite and quartzite), brick, lime plaster and clay.

Castle of Castelo de Vide  is located in the parish of Santa Maria da Devesa, town of Castelo de Vide and Portalegre District.

The castle is part of the Natural Park Serra de São Mamede, on the northern slope of the mountain, in a dominant position over the village and on the strategic line of streak, controlling in the past the crossing of the river Sever, a Tagus River affluent. This fact assured it the attention of several monarchs, expressed on several remodeling campaigns, which gave the monument its current appearance.

In the context of the conquest of Alcacer do Sal, D. Afonso Henriques  took the town from the Moors between 1160 and 1166. By the demarcation of the Castelo Branco Term in 1214  Marvão was already included in Portuguese lands. More important was that D.Sancho II  granted it a charter in 1226.

D. Afonso III  donated the lands of Marvão to the knights of the Order of Malta (1271), later on granted it to his son, Afonso Sanches, along with landlords of Arronches, Vide and Portalegre Castle.

For this reason, at the beginning the reign of D. Dinis (1279-1325), the town and its castle found themselves involved in the dispute between the sovereign and the prince D.Afonso been conquered by the forces of the sovereign in 1299. At the end of the matter, the fields of Marvão, Portalegre Arronches and were replaced by Sintra and Ourem, remaining the first held by the sovereign. This confirmed the Marvão’s charter in 1226 and embarked on its expansion and strengthening of defenses, especially the construction of the tower which began in 1300.

As were other 11th-13th-century castles, the early medieval improvements and development of Marvão castle reflect the innovations brought back by crusading orders from the near east (notably the highly influential Hospitaller castle in Syria, the Krak des Chevaliers). The medieval castle seen in Marvão today mostly post-dates the year 1299, and features numerous characteristics of a crusader-era castle: a tall central keep with raised entrance on the first floor; a series of lower, outlying turrets (some semi-circular); high-placed arrow-slits; open spaces to aid the sheltering and assembly of villagers and troops; a well, and huge rain-collecting cistern to supply water to both keep and the wider castle in the event of siege; bent entrances (both on the village and castle gates) to slow down invaders in the event of breached gates; a series of narrow killing zones (notably, in the triple gate on the village-side of the castle); extensive crenellated battlements and curtain walls that enhanced the natural defences provided by the escarpments of Marvão’s rock.

Was classified as a National Monument in 1922, by a decree on July 4th.

The Castle of Marvao is located in the village and parish of Santa Maria de Marvão, Marvão municipality, Portalegre District.

The walls had the beginning of its construction in the reign of Sancho II, having been made between the 17th and 19th centuries. They have an area of ​​300 hectares and a perimeter ranging from eight to six miles, the largest system bulwark fortifications of the world.

Inside the walls, the city includes large barracks and other military buildings, churches and monasteries. While Elvas vestiges dating back to the 10th century, its fortifications dates from the time of Portugal´s  Restoration of Independence from in 1640.

The fortifications were designed by the Dutch Jesuit priest John Piscásio Cosmander and represent the best example of military fortifications of the Dutch school that survived to the present day. In the complex is included the Amoreira Aqueduct, which was intended to allow to resist  prolonged sieges.

Retaken by the Moors , returned to Portuguese hands in 1220 only to fall again into the possession of the Moors. Between  1226-29  finally fell into Portuguese hands, under the reign of Sancho II (1223-1248), which granted it a Charter (May 1229) and also began the  reconstruction/strengthening of its defenses.

Built  in 1356 by D. Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira, first Prior of Crato and father of  Nuno Alvares Pereira, the Holy Constable. According to some historians was D.Nuno’ s birth place.

In 1232 King Sancho II gave the town of Crato to the Hospitaller Order. It was in 1340 that the headquarters of the Hospitaller Order was changed from Leca do Bailio or Belver to  Crato. Immediately  D. Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira decided to found a chapel in the town.

As soon as the Order began to grow the Monastery was build and  became the Order’  motherhouse  in Portugal, founded in 1356.

In the 16th century the Hospitaller Order came to be called the Order of Malta, a name that still preserves.

Is located in Flor da Rosa , Crato municipality, Portalegre District.