A dialogue between emerging realities: the «New Kingdoms» and the Apostolic See in the twelfth century

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to offer a general overview on the sources related to the relationships between the bishopric of Porto and the Papacy between the twelfth and the thirteenth century. After the intense diplomatic work of bishop Hugo (1112/1114-1136), who established a connection with the Apostolic See, the clergy of the diocese of Porto became a trusted collaborator of the Roman Curia in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. Through papal documents, we will try to understand how the relation with Rome evolved and affected the local dynamics between the bishops of Porto, the powers of the territory, both religious and civil, and the kings of Portugal.