Macedo de Cavaleiros
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Macedo de Cavaleiros () is a city and
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in northeastern Portugal, in
Bragança District Bragança District ( pt, Distrito de Bragança ; mwl, Çtrito de Bergáncia) is a traditional political division of Portugal, in the northeast corner bordering on Spain ( Castile and Leon and Galicia), covering 7.4% of the nation's continental l ...
. The population in 2011 was 15,776, in an area of 699.14 km².


History

During antiquity, the region was occupied by the
Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...
, then
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
and finally the
Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
forces of the
Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by th ...
, who dominated the region until the Christian
Reconquista The ' (Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid ...
. The Romans defeated the local hill tribes, and reorganized settlements in the region, influencing local culture and social administration. The territory east of the Tua River, from Mirandela until the confluence of the Douro (which almost represents the district of Bragança) was Romanized, as was all of Iberia. In the 5th century, when the first barbarians invaded from the
Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
, this region, which was part of the Roman province of
Gallaecia Gallaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province in the north-west of Hispania, approximately present-day Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Norte, Portugal, northern Portugal, Asturias and León (province), Leon and the lat ...
, which was administered and judicially subordinate to the religious courts and chancellery of
Asturias Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensiv ...
. The Roman process of assimilation accelerated after resistance was defeated, and many of the ancient castros were destroyed or abandoned in favour of the organized settlements in the valleys. The barbarian invasions marked a multi-secular conflict in Iberia, and the land changed hands between rival groups regularly. The Suebi peoples, who came with the first invaders, founded their kingdom in the northwest part of the peninsula (from their capital in Braga), incorporating the lands of Bragança. Later the
Visigoths The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is ...
and Arabs invaded, creating an uninhabited desert of the region, while concentrating their administration in the province of Zamora. ;Origin of Name The name ''Macedo de Cavaleiros'' came from a combination of concepts. The first from the Portuguese term for ''apple'' ( pt, maçã), since the region was acclaimed for its fertile lands and apple orchards ( pt, macedos). It was also associated with the knight ( pt, cavaleiro), Martim Gonçalves de Macedo, who saved John, the Master of Aviz during the
Battle of Aljubarrota The Battle of Aljubarrota (; see Aljubarrota) was fought between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile on 14 August 1385. Forces commanded by King John I of Portugal and his general Nuno Álvares Pereira, with the support of Engli ...
. During the battle on 14 August 1385, John was attacked by Álvaro Gonçalves de Sandoval, the Castilian striking down the nobleman. Macedo interceded in the conflict, killing the assassin and saving the future King. King John recognized and was grateful to the knight, whose family coat-of-arms after the Battle began to appear with a blue sash and a silver apple. During the ''Inquirições'' ( en, Inquiries or ''inventory'') of King Afonso, in 1258, the territory of Macedo pertained knights Nuno Martins and Mendes Gonçalves. At the time it was a small settlement, with less importance then its neighbours (Nozelo, Vale Prados, Cortiços, Sezulfe and Pinhovelo), which received their
foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The word ''foral'' ({{IPA-pt, fuˈɾaɫ, eu, plural: ''forais'') is a noun derived from the Portuguese word ''foro'', ultimately from Latin ''forum'', equivalent to Spanish ''fuero'', Galician '' foro'', ...
s before Macedo de Cavaleiros. It was after the 14th century, that documents began to refer to Macedo dos Cavaleiros. Around 1722, King John V designated Macedo as a ''Quinta'', equivalent to a small estate, indicating the size of this region. The municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros was created in 1853, from the administrative remains of Chacim and Cortiços municipalities, and ten years later the settlement of Macedo was proclaimed a ''vila'' ( en, town). To this time, the space were listed as royal lands, then established by John V for the
House of Braganza The Most Serene House of Braganza ( pt, Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), also known as the Brigantine Dynasty (''Dinastia Brigantina''), is a dynasty of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of Portuguese origin which reigned in Europe and the Ame ...
. ;Current affairs Growth during the 20th century has been the result of immigration, resulting from the expansion of raillines and interlinking of circulatory avenues in the northeast of Portugal. A boom in construction and expansion of services was the result of the return of Colonial troops/citizens ( pt, Retornados) that occurred during the middle of the 20th century. As a consequence, the town of Macedo de Cavaleiros was elevated to the status of city in 1999. Macedo de Cavaleiros was formerly served by the
Tua line The Tua line was a metre gauge railway line in northern Portugal, which connected Tua to Bragança. The line was opened in 1887 and closed in 2018. The section from Mirandela to Brunheda is planned to be reopened in 2019. History This hig ...
, a
narrow gauge railway A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structur ...
running between Bragança and Tua. The northern part of the line, including Macedo de Cavaleiros station, closed in 1991.


Geography


Physical geography

The municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros is situated in the northeast region of the Trás-os-Montes, within the district of Bragança, limited by the neighbouring administrations of Bragança,
Vinhais Vinhais (; cel-x-proto, Veniatia) is a municipality in the district of Bragança, northern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 9,066, in an area of 694.76 km2. The present mayor is Américo Afonso Pereira, elected by the Socialist Party. T ...
,
Mirandela Mirandela () is a city and a municipality in northeastern Portugal. The city itself has a population of about 15,000. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 23,850, in an area of 658.96 km². Mirandela is famous for its cuisine, part ...
,
Alfândega da Fé Alfândega da Fé () is a municipality in northeast Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,104,Mogadouro Mogadouro (, ) is a municipality in Portugal. The population in ''2011'' was 9,542, in an area of 760.65 km2. History The history of Mogadouro is evident in the number of castros that dot the landscape of region from the neolithic period. ...
and
Vimioso Vimioso (, ) is a municipality in the district of Bragança in the northern part of Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Pen ...
. It occupies the central part of the district, in a transitional zone between the distinctly different ''Terra Fria'' (''Cold Lands'') and ''Terra Quente'' (''Hot Lands''). The median altitude in the municipality is between 600 and 700 metres, marked in the north by the Serra de Nogueira, in the centre by the Serra de Ala and Serra do Cubo, and in the south by the Serra de Bornes and the Monte de Morais.


Ecoregion/Protected areas

A vast part of the municipality (24.4%) is incorporated within the Natura 2000 initiative, with particular reference to the Morais Massif, considered the ''"umbigo do mundo"'' ( pt, bellybutton of the world), due to the number of rare plant species. The Morais Massif occupies approximately ; it is serpentine geomorphological space with important geological and biological qualities. The Morais ophiolite is an uplifted section of rock from the boundary between the earth's crust and mantle. The ''Paisagem Protegida da Albufeira do Azibo'' ( en, Protected Landscape of the Azibo Dam), is a unique environment: the result of the construction of the Azibo Dam between 1980 and 1982, that has resulted in an area of : a mixture of both human and natural habitats, that includes species of aquatic and migratory birds. The lake created by the construction of the dam provided conditions for nautical sports, in addition to the creation of two beaches, and later, support facilities for golf, pedestrian trails and bike paths.


Climate

The municipality is divided into two climatic regions: ''Terra Fria'' ( en, Cold Lands), to the north, an area of cold winters and hot dry summers; and the southern part of the municipality, referred to as ''Terra Quente'' ( pt, Hot Lands), between the Sabor River and the municipality of
Mirandela Mirandela () is a city and a municipality in northeastern Portugal. The city itself has a population of about 15,000. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 23,850, in an area of 658.96 km². Mirandela is famous for its cuisine, part ...
, susceptible to lower winter temperatures and warm summers, commonly above 40 °C.


Human geography

The municipality consists of the following parishes: * Ala e Vilarinho do Monte * Amendoeira * Arcas * Bornes e Burga * Carrapatas * Castelãos e Vilar do Monte * Chacim * Cortiços * Corujas * Espadanedo, Edroso, Murçós e Soutelo Mourisco * Ferreira * Grijó * Lagoa * Lamalonga * Lamas * Lombo * Macedo de Cavaleiros * Morais * Olmos * Peredo *
Podence e Santa Combinha Podence e Santa Combinha is a civil parish in the municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros, northern Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Ib ...
* Salselas * Sezulfe * Talhas * Talhinhas e Bagueixe * Vale Benfeito * Vale da Porca * Vale de Prados * Vilarinho de Agrochão * Vinhas


Demographics


Economy

The tertiary sector represents 58% of the economic activity in this territory; secondary activities, localized mostly in the industrial zone of the city, represent 22% of the activities of the region. Similarly, agricultural production (21% of the workforce are farmers), is involved in cultivation and animal husbandry. The climatic conditions in the region, and the fertility of its soils has allowed the cultivation and production of wine, cereals, olive and chestnut oils, in addition to the raising of cattle, sheep and goats in many of its fields.


Religion

The Roman Catholic faith community is integrated into the Diocese of Bragança and Miranda. Originally, the episcopal seat was located in
Miranda do Douro Miranda do Douro () or Miranda de l Douro in Mirandese () is a city and a municipality in the district of Bragança, northeastern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,482, in an area of 487.18 km². The town proper had a population of 1,9 ...
, at a time when the local population was less than 900 inhabitants.


References

{{Authority control Cities in Portugal Municipalities of Bragança District