History of Portugal
Early History
Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and the Romans successively occupied
the area now called Lisbon. The
natural harbour of the Tagus River (Tejo) was an obvious attraction.
From 210 BC onwards the Romans gradually extended their control over
what is now present-day Portugal from their main power base in Spain.
Lasting legacies of Roman domination of the area are: the Portuguese
language, which directly derives from Latin and the production of wine.
Christianity begins to spread in the area from the first century AD.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Visigoths from central Europe
establish control on the Iberian peninsula.
711: The Moors arrived from Morocco and establish hegemony over
most of Spain and Portugal. In Portugal their influence is most seen
in the al-Gharb (the present day Algarve). The Moorish occupation was
mostly tolerant of their Christian and Jewish subjects, with noted advances
in agriculture and the increase in size of urban centers such as Libon
and Evora.
1147: The Moors were gradually ousted by the Christians - led
by King Afonso Henriques, who styled himself as the first King of Portugal
with control over most of the country except for the Algarve region.
The Knights Templar were
rewarded for their efforts in the Reconquest of Portugal by the granting
of large tracts of land. This religious order of Christian Knights built
their headquarters in the town of Tomar.
1255: Lisbon became the capital of the country under Afonso III
and the new nation of Portugal begins to expand its trade of wine,
olive oil, and salt fish to Spain and northern Europe. Portugal's first
university is founded in Lisbon and subsequently moves to Coimbra in
1290, with subsequent moves between the two cities until 1537 when the
university is permanently established in Coimbra.
1385: Victory of the Portuguese against the Castilians from Spain
at the battle of Aljubarrota is celebrated by the building of the Abbey
of Batalha and ends the threat of Spanish domination of Portuguese
affairs for a time. Portugal enters into a long-standing alliance with
England through the Treaty of Windsor in 1386 and marriage of the victorious
King João I to Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt.
1400s-1500s: Portugal's Kings begin to expand their territory
into North Africa and beyond taking Tangier in 1471 as well as Madiera
(1419) and the Azores (1427). Portuguese explorers (including Henry the
Navigator and Vasco da Gama) utilizing new developments in ship-building,
navigation and cartography brought new-found prosperity to Portugal via
the main ports of Lisbon and Porto.
Vasco da Gama discovers the overseas trade route to India. The age of
discovery & overseas expansion in South America, Africa and Asia
sees Portuguese trading posts established in Goa in India, Galle in Sri
Lanka, Malacca in Malaysia, Ormuz in the Middle East and Macau in China.
Portugal is heavily involved in the lucrative slave trade between West
Africa and its fledgling colony in Brazil. However the vast profits of
the new trade, which enriched the monarchy and ruling classes as well
as financing the construction of such grandiose projects as the monastery
and tower in Belem did not filter down into general society. Eventually
the costs of empire led to inflation at home and economic decline. A
process speeded by the expulsion of a large percentage of the Jewish
community, who were influential in the country's financial system, under
pressure from the Inquisition.
1580-1640: The death of the childless King Dom Sebastião
on a reckless military adventure in Morocco in 1578 lead to the Spanish
conquest of Portugal and rule by Spain. Philip II of Spain became King
of Portugal and his successors controlled the country's affairs until
1640 when the Duke of Bragança staged a palace coup and took the
throne as João IV.
1755: A huge earthquake - felt as far away as the Caribbean and
Scotland! - destroyed Lisbon. The
city is rebuilt under the aegis of the reforming chief minister Marques
de Pompal.
1807: Napoleon's army under General Junot invaded Portugal and
the Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil.
1811: Napoleon is finally defeated by Anglo-Portuguese forces
lead by the British generals Wellington and Beresford. Britain is granted
free trade with Brazil as a reward for its defeat of Napoleon. Political
instability and economic fluctuations continued to destabilize the monarchy
in the later part of the nineteenth century.
Early 1900s: A number of coups d'état and political assassinations
finally lead to the overthrow of the by now discredited monarchy in 1910.
Economic problems in the country are exacerbated by Portugal's decision
to enter World War I on the side of the Allies in 1916.
1926: António de Oliveira Salazar became prime minister,
holding the position until 1968! He established a quasi-fascist state
with rigid suppression of politcal opposition, strict press censorship
and an active secret police (PIDE). The latter part of Salazar's rule
was marked by wars of independence in Portugal's far-flung colonial territories.
India seized Goa in 1961 and guerilla wars broke out in Angola, Mozambique
and Guinea-Bissau.
1970s: A (nearly) bloodless coup lead by leftist officers in
the army - the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA), known as the
'Revolution of the Carnations' ended the authoritarian régime
in 1974. Portugal granted independence to most of its colonial territories,
though instability and civil war were to be the lot of post-colonial
Angola and later in Mozambique. East Timor, after nine days of independence,
was invaded by Indonesia following Portugal's withdrawal in 1975. The
revolutionary situation in Portugal ended in 1975 with the election of
Colonel Eanes as President after yet another failed coup.
1986: Portugal joined the E.U. under the leadership of the moderate
socialist Mario Soares as President and large-scale EU funding lead to
increased economic growth, though the nation remains one of western Europe's
poorer countries.
1990s: Portugal's last colony in Asia, Macau was handed back
to China in 1997 and two years later, East Timor finally gained its independence
after a Portuguese-backed UN referendum.
2000: Portugal joined the Euro zone of currencies in 2002 and
successfully staged the 2004 European Football Championships.
2005: Portugal is increasingly troubled by the longest drought
in its recorded history and raging summer forest fires.
2007: Portugal holds the rotating EU presidency.
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