Airas Vasques, Bishop of Lisbon Born in Xinzo de Limia (13th Century)

Airas Vasques (also Aires Vasques or Airas Vaz) was born in Xinzo de Limia around 1170 and died in the monastery of São Vicente de Fora, in Lisbon, on 6 October 1258. He was Bishop of Lisbon and one of the most important 13th-century prelates of the Iberian Peninsula to originate in A Limia ^[1].

Origins

He came from a distinguished Galician family: he was the son of Vasco Aires and Examea Paes da Maia, and nephew of Xoán Arias, Archbishop of Santiago, in whose chapter he served as archdeacon. According to Count Pedro, he was the son of a nobleman of the land of A Limia and brother of Fernando Ermiges, from whom the Soares de Albergaria descend; Portuguese Wikipedia notes that, because of the patronymic, he could only have been a half-brother of that man’s sons ^[1].

Career

He is thought to have been an Augustinian friar at São Vicente de Fora, although this is not certain. In 1239 he appears as archdeacon of Santiago when he brought the pallium from Rome for his uncle. He was raised to the see of Lisbon around 1241 and papal confirmation dates from March 1244, in the midst of the Portuguese civil war that led to the deposition of Sancho II and the accession of Afonso III ^[1].

His first known act was to found the collegiate church of Santa Maria de Marvila, in Santarém (25 November 1244). In 1245 he attended the Council of Lyon, where, according to tradition, he defended King Sancho in a brilliant speech, although one study questions whether that speech was real or a myth. He remained abroad until 1248 and returned when Afonso III came to the throne; he accompanied the king in the conquest of the Algarve. He issued new constitutions for his diocese, delimited the parishes, consecrated the church of the monastery of Alcobaça (29 September 1252), and attended the Cortes of Leiria of 1256, the first to include representatives of the towns ^[1].

He died leaving a will in 1258 and was buried at São Vicente de Fora ^[1].

In A Limia

At that time A Limia formed part of the Kingdom of Galicia and León; the figure illustrates the ties between the Limian nobility and the ecclesiastical power of the Peninsula. See also Hidacio, another bishop associated with A Limia.

Frequently asked questions

Where was Airas Vasques born? In Xinzo de Limia, around 1170, according to Portuguese Wikipedia ^[1].

What office did he hold? He was Bishop of Lisbon, from around 1241 until 1258 ^[1].

Links

• Parish: Xinzo de Limia
• Municipality: Xinzo de Limia
• People of A Limia
• Famous people and sportspeople of A Limia
• Authors and artists of A Limia
• Hidacio
• Jerónimo de San Félix

Sources

1. «Airas Vasques», Portuguese Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airas_Vasques