BRAGA, or BRAGUE, the Bragara and Augusta Bracharorum of the ancients, a city of Portugal, the capital of the province of Entro Douro c Minho, is situated in a broad open valley of the same name, on the small river Cavado. Braga is said to have been built by the Bracares, the ancient inhabitants of the country, and was ranked by Ausonius among the four chief cities of Spain.
Quxquc marls sinu jactat se Braccara dives.
When Gallicia and Portugal were invaded by the Suevi, Braga became the scat of their kings, and continued so for 170 years, when it was taken by the Goths. When Alphonso I. took this city from the Moors, in 1240, all the Spanish bishops submitted themselves to its church; and hence the archbishops of Braga stilcd themselves the primates of Spain, an honour which was disputed with them by the pre lates of Toledo. The ruins of an aqueduct, of an amphitheatre, and several Roman coins, evince the antiquity of the city.
" Braga," says that intelligent traveller, Mr Link, "is subject to the archbishop of the place, who en joys a revenue of 100,000 crusades ; and appoints judges and two tribunals, the one spiritual, the otter temporal ; so that this is the only city where the king does not appoint a corregidor, or a jai.: de fora. In the coutos (loca cauta, or asylums or places where a priest has jurisdiction) round the town, his sentence is final in criminal affairs, but not on the inhabitants of the town.
" Braga contains five parishes, and seven monas teries. of the streets are broad, light, and open, but most of the houses are small, as in all in land towns in Portugal. Among the objects of cu riosity here is the large old Gothic built cathedral, with its antiquities and treasures ; also the church and monastery of St Fructuosa, containing a mira culous picture of the virgin, and rich in treasures and relics, stand on a hill with the town, so situated as to form a fine object, as seen from a broad ancient street.
" Braga was a more considerable place in the 15th century than now. It has a hat manufactory, which supplies a great part of Portugal with hats for the common people, nor are the hats bad, though they do not equal the English. There is also a ma nufactory of knives, which is inconsiderable. The women are every where seen knitting, sewing, or making linen, and signs of industry and activity ever) where appear. The rich inhabitants of Bra g-a have a bad name in the other very social towns of Minho. They are accused of being quarrelsome, fond of scandal, and their manners are very much disliked." Population 13,000. The diocese includes 1200 parishes, and 150 convents. W. Long. 8' 5', N. Lat. 41° 33'. See Link's Travels in Portugal, p. 334.