Trancoso Battlefield

Trancoso

About 2 km from the old town centre near the Chapel of São Marcos lies the field where the Battle of Trancoso took place on 29 May 1385. The battle was eventually won by the army led by Gonçalo Vasques Coutinho, city administrator of Trancoso, against a powerful Castilian force. It is one of the most glorious moments in Portugal’s history, not only because of the victory but also because of its military, political and symbolic significance in the assertion of the kingdom’s independence. Studies have managed to turn up some aspects of the battle, such as the positioning of the armies and the location of the clash. Even so, the only visible marks of the event are the ruins of the medieval chapel that King Juan of Castile had burned out of revenge for his defeat during another invasion of Portugal.