10 Escudos Battle of Ourique

The Battle of Ourique in 1139 is the founding myth of the Portuguese nation — the moment Afonso Henriques allegedly received divine assurance before routing five Moorish kings, after which he was acclaimed the first King of Portugal by his troops. Whether the battle occurred precisely as described is contested by historians, but its political utility has never been. This 1928 issue was struck under the Ditadura Nacional, the military regime that had seized power in the 1926 coup, which leaned heavily on medieval nationalist symbolism to legitimize its authority.

Gomes records only a single variety for this type, with relatively modest surviving populations in top grades.