Published in Society and Culture in Portugal

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The Avis Dynasty took power in Portugal in the fourteenth century with the support of the population of the cities of Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra. From the beginning, it made use of the popular festivities as a form of support and legitimation. Throughout the entire dynasty, in the royal festivities the urban segments of the cities were present, reinforcing the vassal contract between the kings and the cities. In the reign of D. Manuel the theater will be part of this dynamic and will highlight Gil Vicente, first Portuguese playwright who acted in the courts of D. Manuel and D. João III, creating theatrical acts for the most important moments of the royal festivities such as births, coronations and funerals.