CHIVALRY GAMES

How was a medieval army formed and organised? What military equipment did the knights of the Middle Ages use? How was a siege of a fortified city set up? How was a medieval fortification attacked and invaded? These are just a few of the questions which will be covered at these Chivalry Games.

With the 1384 Castilian siege of Lisbon (a consequence of the succession crisis following the death of King Ferdinand) acting as something of a background, these games aim to follow closely the different steps of medieval warriors during the assault on a fort. Participants will take on the role of both the Castilian attackers trying to conquer the castle as well as that of the soldiers defending from within Lisbon’s city walls.

Using a variety of medieval games with military principles, a wide range of information will be shared with school-age visitors. It will cover various aspects of military events as well as the practice of war during the Middle Ages, such as siege dynamics (deployment of troops; setting up military encampments ; the placement of siege weapons; siege tactics) and medieval military conflicts (arms, military organisation, recruitment, chains of command, use of heraldry).

During the games, participants will experience the life and customs of a medieval knight, wearing their garments, brandishing their swords and firing their weapons. All activities will be held within the castle walls, Lisbon’s last line of defence, taking advantage of the setting provided by the fortification.

FAMILY SUNDAYS | CHIVALRY GAMES
11:00 | Over 5s | €3.50
31 MAR | 30 JUNE | 29 SEPT | 29 DEC
ADVANCE BOOKING | info@castelodesaojorge.pt | +351 218 800 620
CASTELO DE S. JORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE

BEFORE THE CASTLE

Discover all the history and archaeology of the periods before the construction of the castle: the cultures that arrived in the city of Lisbon between the 8th and 3rd centuries B.C. and the impact that they had on trade, urbanism and the material culture of the period. Learn about the physical remains left by the arrival of the Roman Republican Army in the 2nd century B.C. and how their presence would later transform Lisbon into an imperial Roman city until the arrival of the Visigoths in the 5th century.

FAMILY SUNDAYS | FAMILY VISITS
BEFORE THE CASTLE
6 JAN | 3 FEB | 3 MAR | 7 APR | 5 MAY | 2 JUN | 7 JUL | 4 AUG | 1 SEPT | 6 OCT | 3 NOV | 1 DEC
11:00 | Over 6s | €3,50
ADVANCE BOOKING | info@castelodesaojorge.pt | +351 218 800 620
CASTELO DE S. JORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE

THE ‘CONTO’ OF THE LISBON CROSSBOWMEN

At the end of the 13th century, King Dinis granted three ‘letters of privileges’ to the crossbowmen of Serpa, an act which is regarded as the founding of the besteiros do conto (units of crossbowmen). However, there was already a long tradition of these local militias.

Explaining their development, use and effectiveness in battle, we’ll focus on the history of the besteiros do conto, which were important local militia. We will cover all aspects of the besteiros do conto, from their militia obligations to their royal privileges.

The crossbowmen will take part in Sunday target practice, demonstrating their expertise and the capabilities of the weapons. One unit of crossbowmen will be placed in the field, led by their anadel, dressed in Ofício Bélico colours and bearing all the other equipment worn by the men who were trained in the use of these weapons.

Lisbon had the biggest conto de besteiros in the kingdom, numbering 300 marksmen, reflecting its position as the nation’s capital.

We’ll be presenting a collection of crossbows, from the oldest models without a nut for the trigger to the more advanced models with nut and metal arch, as well as different spanning methods. We’ll also be presenting the different types of quarrels and their use. The technological development and manufacture of both the different types of crossbows and various types of quarrel will play an important part in our presentation to visitors.

In addition, we may present the bows that were precursors to crossbows as well as arquebuses which followed them.

Visitors will have the chance to handle the crossbow, under the supervision of members of the Ofício Bélico.

FAMILY SUNDAYS | ARTS OF WARFARE
THE ‘CONTO’ OF THE LISBON CROSSBOWMEN
13 JAN | 10 FEB | 10 MAR | 14 APR
11:00 | Over 5s | Castelo S. Jorge ticket
OFÍCIO BÉLICO

DANCES AND MUSIC IN THE PALACE – 16th CENTURY

16th CENTURY
20 JAN | 17 FEB | 17 MAR | 21 APR
Freed from Medieval Latin and boasting full and ample resources, the Portuguese language acquires a status it would never again relinquish. Portuguese becomes a language of empire and spawns creoles and varied accents the world over. These are the glorious days of Camões and Gil Vicente, of Bernadim and Resende. This is the golden age of 16th-century poetry.

At the same time, it was the coming of age for Portuguese dance, both syncretic and original, based on Iberian rhythms and open to what other courts were dancing. Those same courts to which Portuguese princesses were heading, from Castile to Burgundy and beyond.

Here, then, are the words and dances of the 16th century, accompanied by renaissance recorders and percussion.

FAMILY SUNDAYS | DANCES AND MUSIC IN THE PALACE
POETRY AND DANCE – 15th to the 17th Centuries
Voice and body. Sound and movement.
11:00 | Over 5s | Castelo S. Jorge ticket
DANCES WITH HISTORY ASSOCIATION & DOLCIMELLO

In the beginning was the word. Then came the body. And the gesture. And that’s how dancing was invented. That which nature has joined cannot be separated. The Dances with History Association and the Early Music group IL DOLCIMELO are bringing a set of historical dances to the Castelo de São Jorge based on the best of Portuguese literature from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries…

THE CASTLE, THE ALCÁÇOVA (CITADEL) AND THE CONQUEST OF THE CITY

An exploration of the medieval castle and citadel and its relationship with the city itself. Focusing on the defensive structures of the medieval city of the 11th to 12th centuries, as well as the social, religious and economic situation of the time. This was the scene encountered by the Christian military contingent led by Afonso Henriques who, after a long siege of approximately four months, entered the city on 25 October 1147, hoisting the Christian standard aloft.

FAMILY SUNDAYS | FAMILY VISITS
THE CASTLE, THE ALCÁÇOVA (CITADEL) AND THE CONQUEST OF THE CITY
27 JAN | 24 FEB | 24 MAR | 28 APR | 26 MAY | 23 JUN | 28 JUL | 25 AUG | 22 SEPT | 27 OCT | 24 NOV | 22 DEC
11:00 | Over 6s | €3,50
ADVANCE BOOKING | info@castelodesaojorge.pt | +351 218 800 620
CASTELO DE S. JORGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE