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Tavira County on fire
Letter to the King
In 1561, and according to a document that is in the Torre do Tombo, dated 11th February 1561, a letter to King D. Manuel I was written by the “Juiz de fora” de Tavira, in which he contested the destruction and burning of the mountainous region of Tavira (known among the residents as “serra de Cachopo”) to sow the fields.
In the 16th century Tavira wins the status of city due to the increase and importance of its population. As result of its population increase, the need to keep the forest was crucial, so as to have wood, more specifically cork oak, for the construction of ships, houses and monasteries. On the other hand, the highlands were necessary as agricultural fields, especially wheat fields so that the people could have food to eat. Note that the population had greatly increased in the reign of King D. Manuel I.
As there were two distinct goals for the Algarve mountain range, supply of wood or food, not all the people agreed on what should be the priority. .
Some farmers took the initiative to radicalize the situation by setting fire to the forest, and these, according to the Juiz de fora de Tavira, should be punished, as shown in the following quotation from a letter written to the King: “(...) every year three enquiry should be made to those who sow in the mountains and set fire to it (...)”. The ratification of this news is assured by The National Archive of Torre do Tombo,
IANTT,código PT-TT-CC/1/104/68
Serra de Cachopo
Cortesia "Os Amigos de Cachopo"(blog)
Cortesia de Paulo Pires (viajante)
Imagens/ Photos retrieved from: