Portuguese euro coins show the three royal logograms for Portugal by King Alfonso I. He stands for the foundation of Portugal because in 1143 he placed his land under the shelter of the pope and in this way divested it from the power of Castile. Around the logograms are seven castles and five escutcheons. They symbolize the old Portugal, the knighthood of the old Portuguese people. The outer circle is a ring of twelve stars, standing for Portugal as one of the founding members of the European Union.