The “Territorialization” of the episcopal Power in medieval Portugal. A study on the bullae of Popes Paschalis II and Calixtus II and the conflicts between the dioceses of Oporto, Braga and Coimbra (12th century)

The first decades of the 12th century are a turning point in the History of Portugal. The successful military campaigns against the Muslims allowed the reorganization of the northern dioceses. This episcopal restoration policy led to a clash between Oporto, Braga and Coimbra for the diocesan frontiers. During the pontificate of Hugh of Oporto (1112-1136), the Popes directly intervened to solve this territorial conflict. The aim of this paper is to study the papal bullae granted by Paschalis II and Calixtus II in 1115 and in 1120 to Hugh Bishop of Oporto. Our goal is to demonstrate how this type of document is not a reliable representation of the territory. The value of these papal bullae, in fact, is not factual, but political and it is very important to introduce the study of both the territorialization of episcopal power in Medieval Portugal and the tight relation between local bishops and Roman Pontiffs.