Inês Negra

Once upon a time…

The year was 1388, when Portugal was going through one of the most decisive periods in its history. The kingdom was divided between those who supported King John I, defender of Portuguese independence, and those who followed Beatrice, married to the King of Castile. The crisis of 1383–1385 had not yet ended in Minho, and skirmishes multiplied all along the border. Among the lands that chose the Castilian side was Melgaço, the northernmost fortified town in Portugal. Within the walls lived nobles and soldiers who had declared themselves in favor of Castile; outside, in the countryside, lived many men and women who did not identify with that choice. Among these people was Inês Negra .

We don't know if she was born in Melgaço or if she lived there like so many women of the common people in the Middle Ages. But we do know that she was loyal to Portugal. When she realized that Melgaço supported Castile, Inês revolted. And, in a rare gesture for her time, she abandoned the castle, leaving behind her home and her routine, and joined the Portuguese army that was besieging the town under the orders of King John I.

The siege is one of the keys to this story. For more than fifty days, the castle remained isolated. The Portuguese completely surrounded the fortification, preventing entry and exit. As Melgaço's main well was outside the walls, water began to run low. So did food. The atmosphere inside the castle was one of tension, exhaustion, and fear. Outside the walls, the Portuguese encampment grew, including soldiers, peasants, women, and children who supported King John I. Among them was Inês Negra, known for her firm temperament and uncommon courage.

Within the walls lived another woman, the Renegade , Castilian by conviction, Portuguese by birth, an old rival of Inês. The two could not stand each other, and both defended what they believed in with ferocity. On a tense morning, when the siege seemed to drag on endlessly, the Renegade appeared atop the walls. Before the encampment, she shouted the name of Inês Negra, challenging her. The challenge surprised soldiers on both sides, and even King John I. But in the Middle Ages, when a siege dragged on too long, it was sometimes accepted to resolve conflicts through single combat, avoiding further deaths. Inês Negra did not hesitate. She advanced to the clearing between the encampment and the walls and accepted the combat.

The duel began with swords. The Renegade attacked forcefully, and Inês defended herself as best she could. In a violent charge, the Renegade knocked Inês's sword from her hands. The camp held its breath; it seemed all was lost. But Inês Negra did not retreat. Quickly, she grabbed a peasant's pitchfork and resumed the fight. The surprise turned against the Renegade, and the struggle became balanced.

As exhaustion grew, both women dropped their weapons and engaged in hand-to-hand combat, hard, instinctive, fierce, the kind only two determined women can fight. They rolled on the ground, pushed each other, pulled hair, resisted with all their might. Until, exhausted and wounded, the Renegade faltered, stumbled, and fled back to the castle, covering her bloodied face. Victory belonged to Inês Negra.

And so, keeping their word given before the battle, the next day the Castilians opened the gates of Melgaço. They left unarmed, passing between two rows of Portuguese soldiers who silently observed the surrender. Melgaço was Portuguese again. The king, impressed by the courage of the woman who had done what many men could not, wanted to reward her with gold or land. But Inês Negra, with the pride of one who knows the value of what she has done, replied only:

"Lord, my reward is the beating I gave my enemy."

Nothing tells us what became of Inês Negra after the victory. Some say she was granted a house in Melgaço within the city walls. Perhaps she returned to working the fields, perhaps she helped the army with other tasks. Like so many strong and silent women of the Middle Ages, she may have continued her life without expecting glory. But the people have not forgotten her.

Estátua Inês Negra - Melgaço

Her courage has endured for centuries. It passed from generation to generation, by word of mouth, until it became a legend, the legend of a woman who, in a time dominated by men, had the audacity to alter the destiny of an entire village. And that is why even today, in Melgaço, Inês Negra is remembered as a heroine: the woman who fought, won, and returned Portugal to the Portuguese.