ALBUFEIRA - HISTÓRIA / HISTORY (II)

Os árabes construíram sólidas fortificações defensivas, o que faria com que Albufeira fosse uma das praças que os árabes conservaram por mais tempo em seu poder. Desenvolveram de forma muito relevante a agricultura, com a introdução de novas técnicas (charruas, noras para elevação de água dos poços, novos sistemas de irrigação, por via de açudes e levadas, uso de adubos) e de novas culturas.

Quando D.Afonso III ocupou o trono, parte do Algarve tinha já sido tomado pelos cristãos. Templários e Hospitalários, ordens militares que auxiliaram na Reconquista, salteavam frequentemente as terras que ainda estavam sob domínio Árabe, mas detinham-se sempre diante das fortes muralhas de Albufeira.

Apenas depois da tomada de Faro é que a situação de Albufeira se tornou insustentável. Cercada de inimigos por todos os lados, a praça caiu em poder de D.Afonso III, que logo a doou à Ordem de Aviz.




The Arabs built solid defense fortifications, rendering the settlement almost impregnable - one of the reasons why the Arabs managed to keep Albufeira in their power for a longer time.

The development of agriculture was notable as new techniques and plant species were introduced. The Arabs introduced the plough as well as watermills to bring water up from wells. They also introduced new irrigation methods namely the construction of dams and dikes, thus transforming barren zones into cultivated areas and orchards.

When D. Afonso III took the throne, part of the Algarve had already fallen into the hands of the Christians. The "knights Templar" and the "Knights Hospitallers", military orders which helped retake the area, would frequently raid the land which was still under Arab domain, but they would always be thrown back at the fortified walls of Albufeira. Only following the conquest of Faro did the situation at Albufeira become unbearable. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, it was finally overrun by D. Afonso III who immediately donated it to the Order of Aviz.