Santo António militar no contexto ibérico

Abstract

portuguesUma das vertentes do culto antoniano, de origem puramente portuguesa, reside no facto de se atribuir a Santo Antonio um papel de relevo no campo militar, enquanto protector do exercito portugues. A partir de meados do seculo XVII, deu-se inicio a esta tradicao, que, com o apoio da monarquia e das instâncias militares, levou a que Santo Antonio fosse alistado no exercito portugues, no seio do qual se distinguiu, nomeadamente nas lutas contra castelhanos e franceses. As prestigiantes patentes e insignias militares que lhe foram sendo outorgadas traduzem o exito das accoes militares em que se viu envolvido, contribuindo determinantemente para a defesa da soberania nacional. A partir do seculo XVIII, sao conhecidos vestigios da faceta militar de Santo Antonio posta ao servico da coroa espanhola, sobretudo nas lutas contra mouros e franceses, assumindo-se igualmente como figura de relevo no processo de garantia da soberania. EnglishOne of the aspects of the Antonian cult, of purely portuguese origin, lies in the fact that Saint Anthony is given a prominent role in the military field, as a protector of the portuguese army. From the middle of the 17th century, this tradition began, which, with the support of the monarchy and military institutions, led to Saint Anthony being enlisted in the portuguese army, among which he distinguished himself, particularly in the fights against castilians and french. The prestigious military patents and insignia granted to him reflect the success of the military actions in which he was involved, contributing decisively to the defense of national sovereignty. From the 18th century onwards, traces of the military facet of Saint Anthony put at the service of the spanish crown are well known, especially in the fights against moors and french, and also as an important figure in the process of guaranteeing sovereignty.