Last modified: 2020-10-31 by ivan sache
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The municipality of Táliga (697 inhabitants in 2017; 3,155 ha; municipal website) is located 50 km south of Badajoz and 20 km south-east of Olivenza.
Táliga emerged as a dependency of Olivenza. The Treaty of Badajoz, signed in 1801, transferred the area from Portugal to Spain. Claiming that the treaty has been subsequently nullified, Portugal does not recognize the Spanish sovereignty over the area, but does not attempt either to push this claim by diplomatic means.
Táliga and Olivenza are part of the area conquered in 1228 by Portuguese Knights of the Temple, on behalf of King Sancho II. The tradition says the order erected fortresses in the two places, but there is no evidence of such a building in Táliga but a borough of the village called El Castillo (The Castle).
The etymology of Táliga is also disputed. Some claim it was named Talad during the Muslim rule, from an Arab word meaning "separated", here geographically from Alconchel. A Roman origin is claimed via Villa Italica. Finally, Portuguese etymologies refer to taliga / talaga, meaning "a bag" in the Alentejo dialect, here associated with flour. The town indeed operated several watermills and the anthroponym Farinha (Portuguese, "flour") is common there.
Ivan Sache, 16 March 2020
The flag of Táliga, adopted on 21 February 2002 by the Municipal Council and validated on 25 June 2002 by the Assessing Council of Honors and Distinctions of the Government of Extremadura, is prescribed by an Order adopted on 14 February 2003 by the Government of Extremadura and published on 25 February 2003 in the official gazette of Extremadura, No. 24, pp. 2,534-2,535 (text).
The flag is described as follows:
Flag: Rectangular flag, in proportions 2:3. White panel charged in the center with the municipal coat of arms.
The coat of arms of Táliga, adopted on 21 February 2002 by the Municipal Council and validated on 25 June 2002 by the Assessing Council of Honors and Distinctions of the Government of Extremadura, is prescribed by an Order adopted on 13 January 2003 by the Government of Extremadura and published on 11 February 2003 in the official gazette of Extremadura, No. 18, p. 1,869 (text).
The coat of arms is described as follows:
Coat of arms: Argent a branch of orange proper leaved vert fructed argent surmounted by a cross patty gules. The shield surmounted by a Royal crown closed.
The cross recalls the Order of the Temple while the oranges recall the War of the Oranges (20 May - 9 June 1801), which ended with the "liberation" of the town.
Carlos Eduardo da Cruz Luna, expressing on 3 November 2005 a Portuguese point of view, considers that the cross of the Order of the Temple is inaccurately depicted. He further points out that the village belonged from 1315 to 1801 to the [Portuguese] Order of Aviz, which should be alluded to on the arms.
The writer insists that Táliga separated from Olivenza only in 185O and was indeed not "liberated" in 1801 [but from Portugal]. Finally, he believes that a black castle should be placed in the center of the shield to recall the Templar fortress, even if its existence is disputed - "since legends have a great significance in heraldry".
[Táliga y su gentes, 7 February 2008]
Ivan Sache, 16 March 2020
