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Foral
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<p>The <i>Carta de Foral</i>, or simply <i>Foral</i>, was a royal document in <a href="/facts/Portugal/lYzwDQ63">Portugal</a> and its former <a href="/facts/Portuguese_Empire/nxn2wnHj">empire</a>, whose purpose was to establish a <i><a href="/facts/Concelho/Bu0INBej">concelho</a></i> (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and privileges. A newly founded town would also need the king's approval through a <i>Foral</i>, in order to be considered one. In this case, the town's administration and privileges would be defined in that document. <i>Forais</i> were granted between the 12th and the 16th centuries. </p><p>The <i>Foral</i> was the basis for <a href="/facts/Municipality/S0bUz6jW">municipal</a> foundation, thus the most important event of a city or town's history. It was critical to a successful land settling and an increase in crop yields, by giving more freedom and dignity, via a <a href="/facts/Concession_(contract)/ATTRqkKc">concession</a>, to farmers, in an age when people were subject to near slave work, as servants of <a href="/facts/Lord/kPuPQpUb">landlords</a>. The <i>Foral</i> made a <i>concelho</i> free from <a href="/facts/Feudal/WCK7l9gA">feudal</a> control, transferring power down to a neighbours council (<i>concelho</i>), with its own municipal autonomy. As a result, the population would become directly and exclusively under the dominion and jurisdiction of the crown, excluding the Lord from the power hierarchy. The <i>Foral</i> granted public lands to the collective use of the community, regulated taxes, tolls and fines and established protection rights and military duties within royal service. </p><p>A <a href="/facts/Pillory/NAkIBllU">pillory</a> (<i>pelourinho</i>) is directly linked to a <i>Foral</i>. It was raised after the <i>Foral</i> was granted and placed in the main square of the town. </p><p>The noun <i>foral</i> (European Portuguese: [fuˈɾal], plural: <i>forais</i>) is derived from the <a href="/facts/Portuguese_language/vr3Fwzw3">Portuguese</a> word <i>foro</i>, ultimately from <a href="/facts/Latin/pM3Kge85">Latin</a> <i><a href="/facts/Forum_(Roman)/TtynLd7d">forum</a></i>, and is cognate with <a href="/facts/Spanish_language/95BgYNfv">Spanish</a> <i><a href="/facts/Fuero/MCN5B4op">fuero</a></i>, <a href="/facts/Galician_language/bGIhIvMX">Galician</a> <i><a href="/facts/Fuero/MCN5B4op">foro</a></i>, <a href="/facts/Catalan_language/W2uTbK8Q">Catalan</a> <i><a href="/facts/Fuero/MCN5B4op">fur</a></i> and <a href="/facts/Basque_language/rEMpH97p">Basque</a> <i><a href="/facts/Fuero/MCN5B4op">foru</a></i>. </p>