Alcobaca Monastery & The Love Story of Pedro and Ines

A little further down the road from Obidos, is a beautiful Monastery called Alcobaca.

Upon entering the Sanctuary.

These are the tombs of Pedro and Ines. Pedro was the son of King Alfonso IV. His father wanted to make an alliance with Spain, so he arranged for his son Pedro to marry Constance. When Constance arrived, she had with her a beautiful lady in waiting named Ines. Pedro fell deeply in love with her. The King had her exiled until Constance's death to try and break up the love affair between the two of them. Pedro continued to see Ines and had three children with her.

Pedro gave gifts of entitlements and such to Ines' family. The nobility in Portugal felt threatened by this and convinced King Alfonso that Ines was a threat to his throne because her family had attained great wealth. The King ordered the death of Ines. This enraged Pedro and he rebelled against his father. There began a civil war. The King won, but died a year later. Pedro became King.

Pedro announced that he had wed Ines in secret and that she was a Queen. He found two of her three assassins and personally ripped their hearts out with his bare hands. He then had Ines exhumed and brought to Alcobaca where he had two tombs made and installed in the monastery so that in death the two could be together. On the processional walk from where she was buried, he had all the nobility follow her casket to the monastery. Once she had arrived, he placed her wedding ring on her finger and had each noble bow down and kiss the ring.

The entrance into the cloisters.

This may be our Christmas card, I'm not sure.

I hope you enjoyed our little trip to Alcobaca Monastery.

There is free admission on Sunday's from 10-2pm. It was beautiful.