The first historical novel by writer Nuno Campos Inácio from Portimão, «1189 Last Massacre», edited by Eranos, the new editorial project of the Ésquilo group, will be presented on Sunday, the 19th, at 15:30 pm, at the Alvor Community Center.
Nuno Inácio, author of the fiction works «Bem Vestido, com as Meias Rotas…» and «Marginals» and the political essay «Reinventar Portugal», now embarks on the form of the historical novel, in this case, based on Alvor's conquest in 1189.
Author of the Genealogia do Algarve research project, in the same public session, he will present data on the parish of Alvor in this project, which promises an unprecedented cultural afternoon in the village, as, for the first time, a book and a project will be presented simultaneously. investigation relating to this parish.
The ceremony will also feature two musical moments, organized by the Conservatório de Música de Portimão – Joly Braga Santos, where some children from Alvor will perform.
With a cover and preface by the Algarve architect, writer and researcher Victor Borges, it will be presented by former Algarve deputy Antonieta Guerreiro.
Nuno Campos Inácio, born in Portimão, has a degree in Law, Justice Officer and genealogy researcher, being responsible for the Algarve genealogical portal www.genealogiadoalgarve.com.
He began his literary career 12 years ago, with the publication of the novel «Bem dressed, with the socks…», followed by the novel «Marginals» and the political essay «Reinventar Portugal».
Dedicated to research, he was the author of the “Genealogical Note of Manuel Teixeira Gomes” and other works on the local history of the Algarve region.
With «1189 – The Last Massacre» he enters the field of the historical novel, which denotes a perfect combination between the knowledge of history and the innate capacity for romanced writing.
Synopsis
In May 1189, a fleet of 40 vessels, manned by Nordic Crusaders on their way to Jerusalem, landed in the Ria de Alvor, laying siege to the city and conquering it.
As stated in contemporary sources, the entire population was massacred and the city completely destroyed, with the death toll at more than 5.000, that is, the population that this locality was only able to recover eight centuries later.
This historical novel intends to report the events that culminated in the most tragic and ignoble conquest in the history of Portugal, unfortunately, often hidden from the textbooks of national history.
Throughout this book, the reader will be able to follow the journey of the crossed forces, getting to know the cultural, geographical and urban differences of the various elements that made them up, with descriptions of the following locations: Hedeby, Jelling, Kaupang, Bremen, Flanders, London, Jerusalem , Santiago de Compostela, Lisbon, Sagres, Lagos, Portimão, Ferragudo, Alvor, Alcalar, Monchique, Silves, Estômbar, Albufeira, Faro, Loulé and Messines.
A novel that addresses the cultural difference between Northern and Southern Christians and between these and Muslims and Jews; a novel that seeks to unravel the real motivation of the combatants; the role of Filipe da Alsace in the conquest of Alvor and Silves; the intervention of the Portuguese Religious Orders of the Templars, Hospitalários and Espatários; the different ways of interpreting Jesus Christ and his connection with Mary Magdalene and many other surprises.
A work that intends to be rigorous in the description of the forces in conflict, regarding the costume and weapons used.
Above all, it is a novel that aims to draw attention to a serious gap in the textbooks of Portuguese history, since Alvor was the last city in Medieval Europe to see its entire population slaughtered.
Alvor in the Algarve Genealogy Project
The genealogical survey of the parish of Alvor consisted of the analysis and processing of information from the parish registers of Alvor, from 1723 (date of the oldest known book) to 1905 (last year of free access to the public).
Despite this time interval, there are registered people, natives of Alvor, since the XNUMXth century, known due to connections with other parishes that have older documents, such as Portimão, or by consulting other document collections, such as the Royal Chanceries and Trials of the Court of Holy Office.
At the moment, 11.130 people from Alvor are registered, to which 5.100 people who, not being natives of that parish, married or died there, are registered, in a total of more than 80.000 informational data released.
With this work we get to know, for example: how many people were born, married or died each year; professions of its inhabitants; demographic distribution; toponymy; number of children per couple; where each family lived and which were the most populated places or streets in the parish; social status of families; number of exposed and of children of an incognito father; slave population; Jewish population; find personalities descended from Alvor families; know the genealogy of families in Alvor and family relationships among the current population of Alvor; to know where many of the families who, over the decades, contributed to the development of this village came from.
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