The King's Pine Forest was always connected to the king D. Dinis (1261-1325), but most people think he was the one who planted it. Was really the farmer king?
Historians say that will have been D. Afonso III (1210-1279), pai de D. Dinis, to proceed to his plantation in order to protect farmland and the castle.
Apparently, since there would be a forest in what is now the King of Pinhal. It would be smaller and with other plant species, but there would be. References are made to forests as Pataias from the D times. Afonso Henriques.
Argued, still, which was also not D. Afonso III to plant the pine forest. Letters royal ensure that the author was D. Sancho II (1209-1248).
However D is. Dinis spoken today. Why? Well, D. Dinis, while not
was the sower of the original forest, He sent implement maritime pine as the main sowing. Increased, as well, the pine forest area to what it is today and began the planning and forest management in our country. The forest and its flora have been improved significantly due to this monarch was so closely linked to this forest and the region.
It is said, also, que D. Dinis proceeded to the sowing of the maritime pine in order to supply wood for shipbuilding. Although wood was used to build caravelas, it is unlikely that D. Dinis thought of it at the time, since the time of the discoveries came much later. The goal would be, once again, the protection of agricultural land from coming to shore sands.
Historians have not yet reached a conclusion about the true creator of the national forest Leiria, but it's safe to say that it was not D. Dinis and certainly was not from the lap of Santa Isabel Queen who fell penisco of the pine trees of Gascony as legend has it. Anyway, we have much to thank the "King Farmer" by the beautiful forest that have.
References:
http://pinhaldeleiria.alotspace.com
http://www.pinhal-de-leiria.pt.to/