Almeida, Portugal the current name was first used, in the form of the Arabic "al-Ma'ida" ('the plateau'). The village of Almeida was captured from the Moors by the second king of Portugal, Sancho I in the 12th century because of its strategic position on the new country of Portugal's border with Spain. So important to the security of the country, Sancho had the village heavily fortified. The castle was refortified on three further occasions by King Dinis, King Manuel I and by King João VI. The present 12 pointed star fortification was constructed in 1641 to a Vaubanesque plan on which the
Mongolia–Russia border Mongolia–Russia border The Mongolia–Russia border (, "Mongol-Orosın xil"; , "Rossijsko-mongoljskaja granica") is the international border between the Russian Federation (CIS member) and Mongolia. It is virtually all land. The total length of the border is 3485 km. The boundary is the third longest border between Russia and another country, behind the Kazakhstan-Russia border and the China-Russia border. The Russian state expanded into the regions north of today's Mongolia in the 17th century. Much of the line of the today's Mongolia–Russia border line was set by the Treaty of Kyakhta (1727) between the Russian and Qing Empires (the Mongolia at the