In 1165, the territory of that would become Castelo Branco was conquered from the Moors and donated to the Knights Templar, who at the time dominated Vila Franca da Cardosa.

[1] By the following year Cardosa was bequeathed to the Order of the Templo, confirmed in a papal bull issued by Innocence III (in 1245) where, for the first time, the name of Castelo Branco appeared.

[1] The first fortification wall was constructed by the Knights Templar between 1214 and 1230, thereby extending their defensive line with Tomar, Monsanto, Zêzere, Almourol and Pombal.

[1] Sometime during this period construction on the keep tower, that was addorsed to the wall was executed, supported from taxes on cereal grains, wine, meat, hospital leftovers, bottles and residual funds from public wills to approximately 600 pounds.

[1] The first reference to the castle's alcalde occurred in a donation letter dated 1 October 1357, when Martim Lourenço de Figueiredo was referenced as the responsible for the defensive structure.

[1] By 1408 description of the castle included details of three chambers, a tower and two horse stables (with its own kitchen), a cattle shed, barn and guardhouse (to guard the silver).

[1] A capsule from 1706 describes the palace as having a masonry portico access with stables to the right and a cistern on the left, fed from rainwater collected on the Church of Santa Maria.

[1] On 17 July 1835, an ordinance from municipal council conceded a license to destroy the arches in the walls, and to reuse those stones for public projects.

[1] In 1851, the municipal council studied the possibility of implanting a cemetery in the locale, but the idea was abandoned in 1864, owing to the location being excessively rocky.

[1] In the second half of the 19th century, owing to the actions of the Civil Governor, Guilhermino de Barros, a few of the walls were reconstructed, in addition to the structures of the palace.

[1] But, on 15 November 1852, a violent storm destroyed the keep walls and other fortifications, resuscitating the original plan to convert the site into a cemetery and ceding the lands to the municipal council.

A storm caused a landslide that destroyed the eastern/northern corner tower, leading to a formal request to the DGEMN to begin a project of restoration and lookout.

[1] Simultaneously, the municipality solicited ideas for the reconstruction of the castle from Engineer Manuel Tavares dos Santos, but lacking any funds, this project was abandoned.