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TheCarta de Foral, or simplyForal, was a royal document inPortugal and its formerempire, whose purpose was to establish aconcelho (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and privileges. A newly founded town would also need the king's approval through aForal, in order to be considered one. In this case, the town's administration and privileges would be defined in that document.Forais were granted between the 12th and the 16th centuries.
TheForal was the basis formunicipal 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 aconcession, to farmers, in an age when people were subject to near slave work, as servants oflandlords. TheForal made aconcelho free fromfeudal control, transferring power down to a neighbours council (concelho), 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. TheForal 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.
Apillory (pelourinho) is directly linked to aForal. It was raised after theForal was granted and placed in the main square of the town.
The nounforal (European Portuguese:[fuˈɾal], plural:forais) is derived from thePortuguese wordforo, ultimately fromLatinforum, and is cognate withSpanishfuero,Galicianforo,Catalanfur andBasqueforu.