Castelo Rodrigo here, where the Vista includes Spain and the valley of the Duero, history was not pacific. In our memory the beauty of the place and the exciting image of Santiago Matamoros in the Church of the Reclamador have left.
Founded by Alfonso IX of Leon, that donated to count Rodrigo González de Girón, it was with the name of the donatario. With the Treaty of Alcañices, signed in 1297 by D. Dinís of Portugal, king and poet, happened to the Portuguese crown.
Castelo Rodrigo conserves the marks of some episodes of territorial dispute. First it happened during the dynastic crisis of 1383-1385. D. Beatriz, only daughter of D. Fernando of Portugal was married with the king of Castile. To the death of its father, and with his ascent to the throne, Portugal it would lose its independence in favor of Castile. Castelo Rodrigo took party by D. Beatriz, but D. João, Mestre de Avis won to the Castilians in Batalla de Aljubarrota, in 1385, being crowned king of Portugal with the name of D. João I. Like retaliation to have taken party by Castile the gentlemen from Castelo Rodrigo, the new monarch ordered that the shield and the arms of Portugal were represented On guard invested in their blazon.
In century XVI, when Felipe II of Spain annexed Portuguese Corona, Cristóvão Governor de Mora happened defending of the Castilian cause, later undergoing the revenge of the population, that set afire the enormous palace to him after to have arrived the news from the Restoration (what it happened the 1 of December of 1640).
Of this old history only they are left the ruins of the palace at the top of the mount. Crossing site of travelling from way to Santiago de Compostela, tells that S. Francisco de Asís spendt the night here in its peregrination to the tomb of Santo.