Dionysius, Or Denis,(Port. Diniz), king of Portugal, born in Lisbon, Oct. 9, 1261, died at Santarem, Jan. 7, 1325. He was the son of Alfonso III., whom he succeeded Feb. 16, 1279. He associated with himself in the government his mother Beatrix de Guzman, but soon quarrelled with her because she favored the cause of his younger brother Alfonso, who aspired to the throrne. Beatrix retired to the court of her father, Alfonso X. of Castile and Leon, and Dionysius strengthened his power by marrying in 1283 Elizabeth of Aragon, afterward canonized as St. Elizabeth. He at once set about making reforms in his kingdom. He restricted the power of the clergy, reformed the administration of civil and criminal justice, restrained the arrogance of the nobles, promoted industry and commerce, and augmented the public revenues by a wise administration. He visited all the provinces that had been laid waste by the wars of his predecessors, built and fortified over 40 cities and towns, planted the forest of Leiria, which two centuries after furnished the timber for the ships which gave Portugal her maritime ascendancy, opened and worked the mines in his kingdom, and founded the university of Lisbon (now of Coimbra, the only one in Portugal). He forbade the use of the Latin language in public documents, caused many works to be translated into Portuguese, and cultivated poesy himself with some success.

So many and so patriotic were his labors that he acquired the title of father of his country. He was also known as the protector of letters, the just, the liberal, and the laborer. His latter years were embittered by the unfilial conduct of his illegitimate but much favored son Alfonso, who conspired against him, and by troubles with the church. The military order of Christ was founded by Dionysius in 1319.