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King Denis I of Portugal, often
remembered as the “Poet King,” is one of the most fascinating figures in
Portuguese history. His reign, which lasted from 1279 to 1325, was marked by
far more than political and administrative accomplishments. It was a time when
the arts, letters, and culture flourished under the guidance of a monarch who
was sensitive, cultured, and deeply in love with the power of words. During a
period of great transformation in Europe, King Denis proved that the strength
of a ruler could also lie in his ability to promote beauty, education, and free
thought. His artistic and linguistic legacy still reaches us today, inspiring
educators, artists, and dreamers alike.
The son of King Afonso
III and Queen Beatrice of Castile, Denis grew up surrounded by the cultural
influence of the Iberian courts. From an early age, he showed great interest in
letters and literature, having composed dozens of troubadour songs throughout
his life, particularly of the “love” and “friend” genres—forms of medieval
lyrical poetry. These compositions not only highlight his poetic talent but
also demonstrate his deep emotional connection and sensitivity, rare qualities
in a sovereign. He understood that art was not mere entertainment but a
profound channel for communication, soul expression, and the construction of a
people’s identity.
But Denis did not
stand out solely for his literary contributions. He was responsible for one of
the greatest milestones in solidifying the Portuguese language as a tool of
culture and governance. In 1290, he founded the University of Lisbon, later
transferred to Coimbra, now considered one of the oldest universities in
Europe. That same year, he decreed the official use of Portuguese in place of
Latin for administrative documents—a revolutionary decision that elevated the
language of the people to the status of state language. According to studies
from the University of Coimbra, this action was crucial for consolidating
Portuguese national identity and for the rise of vernacular literature.
This movement toward
valuing the national language parallels, in modern times, creative pedagogical
methods that seek to integrate language, bodily expression, and emotion in the
learning process. One notable example is the Pedagogies of Creativity and
Autonomy (PCA), developed by Antônio Carlos dos Santos. Inspired by figures
like King Denis, these methodologies—MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater), ThM
(Theater Movement), and TBMB (Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater)—aim to make language
a living and meaningful experience. Just as the Poet King used verse to touch
hearts, today’s educators can use theater, movement, and puppets to teach
Portuguese with affection, imagination, and purpose.
With the MAT
methodology, for instance, students are invited to interpret characters, recite
poetry, and create narratives inspired by historical figures like King Denis.
By dramatizing a verse from a “cantiga de amigo,” children not only learn
vocabulary but also grasp emotions, metaphors, and historical contexts.
According to research from the University of São Paulo, these activities
activate brain regions linked to empathy, symbolic reasoning, and emotional
memory—all crucial elements of the learning process.
Through the ThM
approach, students experience words through movement. Words such as “nobility,”
“courage,” and “tenderness,” so common in Denis’s poetry, come to life through
gesture, movement, and improvisation. This enables learners to “feel” the
meaning before formally understanding it linguistically. This practice is
supported by educators at Harvard University, who highlight the importance of
the body in the acquisition of abstract learning.
Meanwhile, the TBMB
methodology revives the oral tradition that so deeply influenced the troubadour
style of King Denis. Children and young learners create their own puppets and
stage stories inspired by the medieval court, the adventures of knights, and
the dilemmas of peasants. At a school in Belo Horizonte, for example,
elementary students wrote and performed a play titled The Judgment of the
Troubadour, with King Denis as a character mediating between poetry and
justice. The children not only learned history, language, and literature but
also developed social and creative skills, broadening their worldview.
King Denis was also
renowned for his deep sense of justice and his diplomatic ability to resolve
conflicts, which was rare for his time. He understood that the power of words
could unite rather than divide. This insight relates directly to contemporary
practices in nonviolent communication and emotional education—fields
increasingly valued in early childhood education and rooted in neuroscience to
promote more human and affective learning environments.
It is impossible to
speak of King Denis without being moved by his legacy. He was not just a
skilled politician or an efficient administrator. He was an artist, an
educator, a man who loved culture and the beauty of the world. His example
inspires all those who believe that education must be enchanting, creative, and
deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of its people. By promoting the arts
and the Portuguese language, Denis taught us that to govern is also to
cultivate—and that a country grows above all when it is rooted in its own soul.
May the spirit of King
Denis remain alive in every school, every book, every Portuguese language
class. May his poetry remind us that education is, above all, an act of love—an
act of planting words in the hearts of children so that one day they may
blossom into ideas that transform the world.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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