Valença
Valença do Minho
Distrito de Viana do CasteloPortugal
From the Latin Valentia, 'strength, valour', a typical name for fortified medieval foundations. Valença do Minho applies the generic to the specific place: the stronghold facing Tui, across the river.
Evolution of the name
- Valentia Latin (genérico medieval) 12th — 13th century
- Valença Portuguese from the 13th century
Reflections, to the letter
From the rampart walk of the fortress, looking north, you see Tui across the Miño: two enemy strongholds for seven centuries, today joined by the wrought-iron Ponte Internacional. Portuguese crosses the river and becomes Spanish; Spanish, on crossing, becomes Galician. Valença is the last Portuguese word of the Camino: from the bridge onwards, all toponyms change language.
Glossary
- Anthroponym
- A personal name, often used as the base of toponyms (Lucronius → Logroño, Sigerici → Castrojeriz).
- Pre-Roman
- Prior to the Romanisation of the Iberian peninsula (3rd century BC); applied to toponyms, linguistic roots and populations.
- Repopulation
- A medieval process by which the Christian kingdoms of the northern Iberian peninsula resettled territories reconquered from al-Andalus. Generates a whole layer of repopulation toponyms: Bercianos (those from El Bierzo), Navarrete (little Navarre), Castellanos, Gallegos.
Sources
- Machado, J.P. — Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa
- Mattoso, J. — Identificação de um país
- Almeida, C.A. Ferreira de — Castelos medievais do noroeste de Portugal (1978)
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Camino Portugués