Paio Peres Correia

Paio Peres Correia ( in Spain Pelayo Pérez Correa, * 1205 in Monte de Fralães, † February 10, 1275 in Uclés ) was a Portuguese knight.

Correia was 1242 Grand Master of the Order of Santiago Castilian. During the Reconquista, he took for his Portuguese King Sancho II the Moors vast areas in the Algarve from, including Silves.

In the Portuguese Civil War 1246/1247 to the dismissal of Sancho II and the following accession to the throne by his brother Sancho D.Afonso III. Correia supported the new king Afonso III. This granted the Order of Santiago Correias then wide range of privileges, but the king returned all rights to the Order took them eg Marim on Tavira, cacela and Castro, after he had gained control of the entire Algarve, and she sought to secure the Portuguese crown permanently.

National poet Luís de Camões sang Correia in his major work The Lusiads, in particular as intrepid conqueror of Silves ( verse 26, eighth vocals). A number of roads, schools and courses in Portugal bear the name Paio Peres Correia. The communities Paio Pires and Samora Correia are named after him, and a statue of the knight is situated in Samora Correia.