I just had a week in the Algarve and visited Silves Castle and Lagos. Both were Moorish until the Portuguese and Spanish reconquered them. The castle was fantastic. For those who read my books and want to know what a fighting platform is the castle has a great example. There are also interesting arrow slits some were at normal height but some were so low that they could have only been used by a crossbow and kneeling. They would have afforded great protection. Lagos has the first European Slave market. Although destroyed in an earthquake it has been rebuilt so that people can see what one was like. The old harbour has also dried up but they built a square there and so one can see the exact proportions of the harbour. Much smaller than one might expect but if you have been to Jamestown and seen the reconstructed caravels that sailed across the Atlantic then you might understand why they would need such a small harbour. A Viking longship was longer than a caravel. Hats off to those sailors. Here are some photos.
