Portugal – Suebi & Visigoths

They mention Auðumbla in “Steins; gate”. What has this got to do with Portugal? Absolutely nothing. Except it helped me entertain myself when an otherwise dull piece of information came up.

Questions

Tribes such of the Silangi and Hasdingi were sub-groups of which larger Germanic people, with leaders such as Gunderic vying for control of parts of the Iberian peninsula at a similar time to the Suebi?

VANDALS

Featured on the coat of arms of the Lisbon district of Alenquer is which extinct mastiff-like dog, which was possibly associated with a Germanic tribe that migrated into the Iberian peninsula at a similar time to the Suebi and Vandals?

ALAUNT

The Kingdom of the Suebi was established in the Iberian peninsula in the early 5th century with its capital at Braga. According to historians such as Isidore of Seville this was under which pagan leader, who despite being an enemy of the Romans was saved by them when surrounded by Gunderic’s Vandal and Alan forces during the Battle of the Nervasos Mountains?

HERMERIC

Grandson of Hermeric, Rechiar’s reign as King of the Suebis ended in 456 at the hands of the Visigoths. This is despite him marrying a daughter of which of their kings, whose death occurred at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains?

THEODORIC I

The conversion of the Suebi to the religion of the Visigoths came when a missionary named Ajax was sent by to them in the 5th century. To what Christological doctrine was this, being common among Gothic tribes as it had been promoted by Ulfilas, the bishop credited with having the bible translated into Gothic?

ARIANISM

Among the targets of the First Council of Braga in 561 was which Christian sect who used the signs of the zodiac for some of their symbolism and promoted vegetarianism? They were named for a nobleman who was executed in Trier around 385, apparently having been caught practising magic.

PRISCILLIANISM

Presiding over the Second Council of Braga in 572, which saint associated with that city published “De correctione rusticorum”, a work that detailed pagan practices of the time and tried to address how those people could be converted to Christianity?

SAINT MARTIN OF BRAGA

The Second Council of Braga occurred during the reign of which Suebian king, who barring an accent shares the surname of the artist responsible for the lithograph “Escultor Portugal”, a work produced in the aftermath of the Carnation Revolution?

MIRO (The artist being Joan Miró)

Getting the top job after deposing Miro’s son Eboric, Audeca’s short-lived reign as Suevic King of Galicia ended in 585, this seeing the Suebi kingdom draw to a close. He was unable to hold off the forces of which Visigothic king, who has a code of law named for him that is now only known through the writings of Isidore of Seville?

LEOVIGILD

Sharing his name with a global dating and communication service that was originally called Mamba, which King of the Visigoths died after being supposedly poisoned in 680? Saint Julian of Toledo chronicled his life in a “History of…”, though it has been suggested this bishop was part of the conspiracy that had the leader killed.

WAMBA

Considered to be have been wicked thanks to his numerous nasty deeds like blinding Theodofred, the Duke of Cordoba, the Visigothic king Wittiza had the same fate applied to him by which successor? This son of Theodofred unfortunately has gone down in history as the ‘Last King of the Goths’.

RODERIC

Moving into the Iberian peninsula at a similar time to the Suebi, which Germanic tribe share their name with the Norse mythology god who was licked free from some kind of salty topographical feature by the cosmic cow Auðumbla, accent excepted?

BURI (The god being Búri)

Portugal – Ancient history

Working my way through the history section of the Wikipedia entry for Portugal has led to a few unexpected discoveries, including an interesting episode from the Lusitanian War.

Questions

Coming to light in the 1990s when a proposed dam project threatened its existence, rock art in which north-eastern Portuguese valley makes up part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with similar engravings found at Siega Verde in Spain?

CÔA VALLEY

Home to the Algarve International Circuit that hosted the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020 and 2021, the tourist hotspot of Portimão is near to which necropolis of megalithic burial tombs that date to the Copper Age?

ALCALAR

Stelae from the south-west of the Iberian peninsula are among the evidence we have of which extinct language that takes its name from a civilisation that flourished around the mouth of the Guadalquivir? Inscriptions have been found in the Algarve and Lower Alentejo, an area where the pre-Roman people known as the Cynetes or Conii lived.

TARTESSIAN LANGUAGE

The origin of the Celtic people who went on to inhabit the Iberian peninsula has been linked to which Central European Bronze Age culture, which is named for how the people stored the cremated remains of their dead?

URNFIELD (Places in urns, then buried in fields)

Citânia de Briteiros and Cividade de Terroso are archaeological sites that serve as examples of which northern Portuguese culture, with the transition to Roman times of the second site being depicted in João Aguiar’s historical novel “Uma Deusa na Bruma”?

CASTRO CULTURE

A small town on the Algarve not far from the border with Spain, Tavira has been used as the representative Portuguese community for which UNESCO Intangible Heritage Site that is shared with Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain and Morocco? Its importance not only lies in the eating, but also in the social interactions and sense of identity it provides.

MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Portugal’s Alentejo region has which city as its capital, this being home to a Temple of Diana that seems to have a tenuous association with the goddess of the hunt? One of the most well preserved Roman ruins in Iberia, it may well have been dedicated to the Emperor Augustus, with him being venerated as a God there.

ÉVORA

His tactics against the Romans including one of the earliest known accounts of guerrilla warfare, which important leader of the Lusatian people was killed by his own troops while sleeping in his armour? There are statues to him in Viseu and Zamora, with neoclassical Spanish painter José de Madrazo depicting his death in a work displayed in the Prado.

VIRIATHUS

There have been plenty of hypotheses as to the function of the Centum Cellas tower in the historical region of Beira Baixa, with suggestions including as a prison or military camp. It is now thought to be an example of what two-word term for a Roman farmhouse, these being located away from population centres?

VILLA RUSTICA

Although the Roman site of Conímbriga ultimately gave the city of Coimbra its name, it was originally around 10 miles away from it. What other name did Coimbra carry in Roman times, later gaining the name change when the bishopric moved from Conímbriga?

AEMINIUM

A contemporary of Augustine of Hippo who is thought to have been born in the Gallaecia capital of Braga, which writer is best known for his “History Against the Pagans”? This work is notable for the author showing his historical methodology and was an important source of information on antiquity.

OROSIUS

Author of a 5th-century “Chronicle” that serves to illustrate Spanish history during that period, Hydatius was the bishop of Aquae Flaviae, this being which small city in the north of Portugal whose football team have a best finish of 5th in the Portuguese top flight, beating Universitatea Craiova in their only foray into Europe?

CHAVES

Portugal

A re-write of some old questions after using the RNG to pick a country. I like that I was wowed by Pastel de Natas in Estoril a few years before they appeared everywhere. This serves as a reminder that some of the best discoveries are made by actually visiting places.

Questions

Meaning ‘disentanglement’, what Portuguese term effectively means to ‘MacGyver’ by finding an improvised solution to a problem?

DESENRASCANÇO

One of only two people to have chaired a singles final match in all four Grand Slams along with Brit Alison Hughes, which Portuguese tennis umpire courted controversy when he awarded three code violations to Serena Williams during her 2018 US Open final defeat to Naomi Osaka?

CARLOS RAMOS

His works including a 1946 biopic of 16th-century poet Luìs de Camões, which Portuguese director’s films include the second docufiction film “Maria do Mar” and the first Portuguese sound film “A Severa”?

JOSÉ LEITÃO DE BARROS

In what year did the Battle of Aljubarrota take place, confirming Portuguese independence after victory over the Kingdom of Castile?

1385

Defeating a King of Castile who carried the same anglicised name and regnal number, who became King of Portugal following the country’s victory at the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota?

JOHN I

Lasting until 1580 when it was succeeded by the Philippine dynasty, which royal House of Portugal was established by John I following the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota?

AVIZ

Reminding football fans of a Brazilian team that play in São Paulo who were runners up in the 1996 national championship, what is the Portuguese national anthem called?

A PORTUGUESA

Taking its name from a region that includes the municipalities of Mogadouro and Vimioso, which recognised regional language is spoken in an area of north-east Portugal that lies on the border with Spain?

MIRANDESE

Leader of the opposition for the Social Democratic Party during 1996 to 1999 when UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was Prime Minister, what is the name of the independent Portuguese president who has been in the role since 2016?

MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA

A former royal residence that survived the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which palace provides the official home for the Portuguese president?

BELÉM PALACE

Named for a Spanish city on the river Duero that is notable for its Romanesque churches, which treaty of 1143 recognised Portuguese independence from the Kingdom of León?

TREATY OF ZAMORA

The Germanic people that provided its name originating from the area around the Elbe river in northern Europe, which kingdom in Galicia and northern Lusitania was established in 410? It lasted until 584 when it was finished off by the Visigoths.

SUEBI

Taking place near Guimarães, at which battle of 1128 did Afonso Henriques defeat his mother Teresa, marking an important step to independence? Previously independence had been desired from the Kingdoms of Galicia and León, but when Teresa was defeated in battle it increased the power of her son.

SÃO MAMEDE

At which battle of 1139 that took place in the Alentejo region did Afonso Henriques defeat Almoravid forces from Cordoba led by ‘King Ismar’, this success resulting in the declaration of Portuguese independence?

OURIQUE

Taking place on the 5 October with that date included in the name of the revolution, in which year was Portugal’s centuries old monarchy deposed, with Manuel II spending his exile in Twickenham?

1910 (The full name is ‘5 October 1910 Revolution’)

Resulting in the assassination of two-time Prime Minister António Granjo, what name has been given to the radical revolt that occurred on 19 October 1921 in Lisbon?

NOITE SANGRENTA / BLOODY NIGHT

Covering the locations of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, the name Portugal comes from which ancient town with a name made up of two words?

PORTUS CALE

Sharing the surname of more than one 21st-century world leader, what material culture in north-west Iberia is associated with the areas of Galicia and Asturias? Its characteristics include oppida, a type of Iron Age fortified town.

CASTRO CULTURE

The capital of the province of Gallaecia, what was the two-word name given to Roman Braga, the second part making reference to the emperor at the time it was founded?

BRACARA AUGUSTA

Also being used to refer to an abnormal growth such as a mole, what term in phonology means adding a consonant into a word? Adding ‘n’ into Portugal to make it ‘Portingal’ is one such example, this being a type of epenthesis.

EXCRESCENCE

Reynard the Fox and Chanticleer the Cock are two of the characters that can be found in which of the “Canterbury Tales”? The spelling of ‘Portyngale’ for Portugal is found in the epilogue to this tale.

NUN’S PRIEST’S TALE

In a medieval romance composed around 1400, which title character from ‘Portyngale’ tries to win the hand of King Colomond’s daughter? Tasks included fighting five giants and visiting Jerusalem.

TORRENT OF PORTYNGALE

His designs including the Casa das Histórias Paulo Rego in Cascais, which Portuguese architect won the Pritzer Prize in 2011?

EDUARDO SOUTO DE MOURA