Miracle Dogs Of Portugal

Miracle Dogs of Portugal leads children on a voyage of discovery to 15th century Portugal, with the almost-true story of Henry the Navigator. When Henry was just a boy he summoned his own courage to take a surprising journey where he meets a delightful cast of characters - Milagro the Miracle Dog, Diego the fisherman, a cadre of sea creatures - and discovers his own dream. This almost-true story of historical figure Henry the Navigator and the history of the Portuguese Water Dog is the first in a historical fiction series for children that explains the periods and characters of world history using dogs as the ambassador to learning. The Miracle Dog series is appropriate for ages 5-10. Though the stories are fiction, the historical accuracy and context is designed to give children both the framework and the motivation to seek out more information about the character and the period in which the story is set, while inspiring them to make miracles in their own lives.

"Névoa do milagre...." According to legend, the "miracle fog" appears only when something miraculous is about to happen. One such foggy night, in Salema, Portugal, Agua, a lone Portuguese Water Dog, appears on Natalia's doorstep. Where did he come from? Why was he there? Could he help the little fishing village become prosperous again? Could he help Natalia's Mama get well? Could one mysterious dog really change their lives forever?

From the terraced vineyards of the Doura Valley to the Inviting beaches of Algarve and the far-flung islands of Madeira and the Azores, this guide brings you the best of Portugal in one volume. Includes descriptions of over 800 attractions, over 50 detailed city and regional maps, helpful hotel and restaurant recommendations, and more than 160 color photos and drawings.

This book investigates Jan Van Eyck's patronage by the Crown of Portugal and his role as diplomat-painter for the Duchy of Burgundy following his first voyage to Lisbon in 1428-1429, when he painted two portraits of Infanta Isabella, who became the third wife of Philip the Good in 1430. New portrait identifications are provided for the Ghent Altarpiece (1432) and its iconographical prototype, the lost Fountain of Life. These altarpieces are analysed with regard to King Joao I's conquest of Ceuta, achieved by his sons, who were hailed as an "illustrious generation." Strong family ties between the dynastic houses of Avis and Lancaster explain Lusitania's sustained fascination with Arthurian lore and the Grail quest. Several chapters of this book are overlaid with a chivalric veneer. A second "secret mission" to Portugal in 1437 by Jan van Eyck is postulated and this diplomatic visit is related to Prince Henry the Navigator's expedition to Tangier and King Duarte's attempts to forge an alliance with Alfonso V of Aragon. Late Eyckian commissions are reviewed in the light of this ill-fated crusade and additional new portraits are identified. The most significant artist of Renaissance Flanders appears to have been patronized as much by the House of Avis as by the Duchy of Burgundy. Barbara von Barghahn is Professor of Art History at George Washington University and a specialist in the art history of Portugal, Spain, and their colonial dominions, as well as Flanders. In 1993, she was conferred O Grao Comendador in the Portuguese Order of Prince Henry the Navigator. She has spent nearly a decade completing research about Jan van Eyck's diplomatic visits to the Iberian Peninsula.