It was briefly conquered by forces loyal to Afonso Henriques around 1166, an action that was repeated in successive years with Moorish capture, and recapture, of the strategic point.

[1] This was followed in 1228 by another attempt, also unsuccessful, until 1230, after the castle and surrounding territory was abandoned by Muslim forces, who had received word that Alfonso IX had reached and was threatening Mérida.

[1] Sometime during this period the alcalde's quarters were also renovated, while repairs to the walls and three towers were carried out in intervening years, following acts by Afonso Mendes de Oliveira.

[1] This was the beginning of the period of construction that resulted in the bulwarked Praça de Elvas that was completed in 1653, creating a military square and defensive ring.

[1] By the middle of this project, records document the nomination, in 1646, of Pedro Fernandes, quartermaster of the Sé of Elvas, and an accomplished expert in fortifications, to assist João Cosmander in the work on the walls.

[1][2] Between 1658 and 1659, Elvas was encircled by the forces of Luis Méndez de Haro, and the castle's defenders resisted the Spanish bombardment of the town, although many died due to the Black death.

[1] After Portugal joined the forces of the Grand Alliance during the War of Spanish Succession, with the Methuen Treaty, it became vulnerable from attacks from Spain.

[1] The castle is found in an isolated urban context, on an elevated zone known as the Costa da Vila Fria, with many of the towers and walls extending over the landscape.

[1] The plan of the castle is an irregular quadrilateral polygon, defined by four walls, flanked by towers in the south, west and north.

The Porta da Vila (Town Gate), in the southwest, is surmounted by a capstone with the coat-of-arms of King John II of Portugal, and opened to the courtyard where there are several older buildings.

[1] A Roman arched gate provides entry into the towers principal hall, with four arrowslits and a vaulted ceiling with rounded cross-beams, formed from the four corner posts.

[1] The extreme part of the battlements provide access to the rooftop artillery point, a nine-sided position, which flanks the southern angle of the fortification.

[1] This emplacement provides two levels of gun fire, with 12 arrowslits, although the top group is covered by the posterior-constructed vaulted, semi-spherical ceiling.