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15-16th Century - Portugal to Africa and Asia

List

Here is a list of the main countries and regions that Portugal colonized, along with the time periods, end results, and some key positives and negatives:

Africa

  1. Angola (1575-1975) [6][13]
  • End result: Independence in 1975 after the Carnation Revolution in Portugal
  • Positives: Development of infrastructure, spread of Portuguese language
  • Negatives: Exploitation of resources, oppression of native peoples, bloody war for independence
  1. Mozambique (1506-1975) [7][13][16]
  • End result: Independence in 1975 after the Carnation Revolution
  • Positives: Establishment of trading posts, spread of Portuguese language
  • Negatives: Forced labor, discrimination against Africans, support for white settler minority rule
  1. Guinea-Bissau (1879-1974) [13]
  • End result: Unilateral independence declared in 1973, recognized by Portugal in 1974
  • Positives: Development of cash crop agriculture
  • Negatives: Repression of independence movement, forced labor, little investment in African education
  1. Cape Verde (1462-1975) [4][13]
  • End result: Independence in 1975
  • Positives: Development as re-supply point for ships, creole culture
  • Negatives: Slavery, authoritarian rule
  1. São Tomé and Príncipe (1486-1975) [4][6]
  • End result: Independence in 1975
  • Positives: Development of plantation economy
  • Negatives: Slavery, forced labor, authoritarian rule

Asia

  1. Portuguese India (1505-1961) [11][13]
  • End result: Annexed by India in 1961
  • Positives: Establishment of trading posts, cultural exchange
  • Negatives: Religious intolerance, suppression of local rulers
  1. Macau (1557-1999) [6][11][13]
  • End result: Returned to China in 1999
  • Positives: Development as major trading port, cultural fusion
  • Negatives: Organized crime, human trafficking
  1. Portuguese Timor / East Timor (16th century-1975) [13]
  • End result: Declared independence in 1975 but invaded by Indonesia, independent again in 2002
  • Positives: Spread of Catholicism
  • Negatives: Repression of independence movement, support for Indonesian occupation

South America

  1. Brazil (1500-1822) [7][10][11]
  • End result: Declared independence in 1822, recognized by Portugal in 1825
  • Positives: Development of plantation economy, creation of new mixed-race cultures
  • Negatives: Slavery, genocide of indigenous peoples, authoritarian rule

North Atlantic

  1. Azores (1427-present) [6][14]
  • End result: Autonomous region of Portugal today
  • Positives: Strategic base for maritime exploration, unique culture
  • Negatives: Authoritarian rule, slow economic development
  1. Madeira (1420-present) [6][11][14]
  • End result: Autonomous region of Portugal today
  • Positives: Important sugar production, tourism
  • Negatives: Slavery, colonial wars

So in summary, the Portuguese Empire lasted from the capture of Ceuta in 1415 until the handover of Macau in 1999, spanning nearly 600 years. It brought wealth and power to Portugal but at a steep cost - centuries of slavery, oppression and underdevelopment for the colonized peoples. The legacy is complex and still shapes the Portuguese-speaking world today. Most former colonies gained independence in the 1970s after the fall of Portugal’s dictatorship, often after long liberation struggles. The era of Portuguese colonialism profoundly transformed Africa, Asia and Brazil while also impacting the culture, economy and identity of Portugal itself.

Citations:
[1] https://bestdiplomats.org/portuguese-colonies-in-africa/
[2] https://www.worldatlas.com/geography/former-portuguese-colonies.html
[3] https://www.worldhistory.org/timeline/Portuguese_Empire/
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Former_Portuguese_colonies
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P7szJRlbxk
[6] https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Empire/
[7] https://www.portugal.com/history-and-culture/the-portuguese-colonial-empire/
[8] https://courses.lumenlearning.com/ushistory1os2xmaster/chapter/portuguese-exploration-and-spanish-conquest/
[9] https://study.com/learn/lesson/spanish-portuguese-exploration-of-new-world-asia-motives-impact.html
[10] https://travel.allwomenstalk.com/countries-that-were-once-portuguese-colonies/
[11] https://smarthistory.org/reframing-art-history/portuguese-contacts-exchanges/
[12] https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780191737657.timeline.0001
[13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_the_Portuguese_Empire
[14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Portugal
[15] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_Portugal
[16] https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Portugal
[17] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Empire
[18] https://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu/ushistory/chapter/portuguese-exploration-and-spanish-conquest/
[19] https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/portugal/historical-development
[20] https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/agex/hd_agex.htm

Timeline for Africa

Here is a detailed breakdown of the history of Portugal colonizing Africa, with a timeline:

Early Exploration and Coastal Settlements (1415-1600)

  • 1415: Portugal captures Ceuta in Morocco, marking the beginning of its empire in Africa.
  • 1444: Portuguese explorers reach the coast of West Africa and begin slave trading. [1][12]
  • 1482: The Portuguese establish a fort and trading post called Elmina on the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana), which becomes a major center of the slave trade. [1]
  • 1483: Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reaches the mouth of the Congo River and initiates contact with the Kingdom of Kongo. [6][13]
  • 1486: Portugal colonizes the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea. [9]
  • 1498: Vasco da Gama reaches Mozambique on the southeast coast of Africa while seeking a sea route to India. [7][12]
  • 1500s: The Portuguese establish scattered coastal forts and trading posts in West Africa, Angola, and Mozambique, but do not penetrate far inland. The slave trade becomes a major focus. [7][16]

Gradual Inland Conquest and Colonization (1600-1885)

  • 1575: The Portuguese establish Luanda, their first settlement in Angola. [6][13][19]
  • 1600s-1800s: Portugal slowly expands control over Angola and Mozambique through wars with African kingdoms like Kongo, Ndongo, and Gaza. However, Portuguese rule remains largely confined to the coasts. [6][7][16]
  • 1752: Mozambique becomes a separate colonial government, administratively independent from Portuguese India. [16]
  • 1836: Slave trade is abolished in the Portuguese Empire, causing economic and social disruption in the African colonies. [14][19]
  • 1850s-1880s: European powers begin the “Scramble for Africa”. Portugal claims vast territories stretching from Angola to Mozambique. [7][13]

Consolidation of Colonial Rule (1885-1951)

  • 1885: The Berlin Conference recognizes Portuguese claims over Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe. [7]
  • 1890s: Portugal wages military campaigns to crush African resistance and establish control over the interiors of its colonies. Chartered companies are granted concessions to exploit the lands and peoples. [7][17]
  • Early 1900s: Portugal shifts to direct colonial administration. Infrastructure is developed using forced African labor. Discriminatory laws and abusive labor practices are imposed on Africans. [7][13][17]
  • 1930s-1940s: The Salazar regime proclaims its colonies are overseas provinces integral to Portugal. Little is done to develop them or improve African living standards. [13][17]

Decolonization and Independence (1951-1975)

  • 1951: The colonies are rebranded “overseas provinces” to deflect international criticism, but remain under repressive Portuguese rule. [4][13]
  • 1961: Armed resistance against Portuguese colonialism begins in Angola. Similar independence movements emerge in other colonies. [13][18]
  • 1974: The Carnation Revolution in Portugal overthrows the dictatorship. The new government agrees to grant independence to the African colonies. [1][18]
  • 1975: Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Guinea-Bissau all gain independence after centuries of Portuguese colonial rule. [1][7][18]

So in summary, Portugal was the first European power to establish colonies in sub-Saharan Africa starting in the 1400s, motivated by the search for gold, spices, and slaves. For centuries its presence was limited mostly to coastal outposts. In the late 1800s, it rapidly expanded inland, brutally subjugating the African populations. Portuguese colonial rule was exploitative and repressive until its collapse in 1975 after costly independence wars. The legacy of this long, turbulent history continues to shape the modern nations of Lusophone Africa.

Citations:
[1] https://bestdiplomats.org/portuguese-colonies-in-africa/
[2] https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/portugals-african-colonies
[3] https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780191737657.timeline.0001
[4] https://projects.kora.matrix.msu.edu/files/210-849-30102/PWACOA12-68Portopt.pdf
[5] https://oxfordre.com/africanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277734.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277734-e-183
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Angola
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mozambique
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Empire
[9] https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1763/the-portuguese-colonization-of-sao-tome-and-princi/
[10] https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Angola/
[11] https://www.asmeascholars.org/a-short-history-of-mozambique
[12] https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/agex/hd_agex.htm
[13] https://www.britannica.com/place/Angola/History
[14] https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1969/01/portuguese-africa/660748/
[15] https://www.britannica.com/summary/Angola
[16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Mozambique
[17] https://www.britannica.com/place/Mozambique/Colonial-Mozambique
[18] https://2009-2017.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/mozambique/7042.htm
[19] https://www.sahistory.org.za/place/angola

Timeline for Asia

Here is a detailed breakdown of the history of Portugal colonizing Asia, with a timeline:

Early Exploration and Coastal Settlements (1498-1511)

  • 1498: Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut, India, becoming the first European to reach India by sea. This opens up direct trade with Asia. [6][9][11]
  • 1500: Pedro Álvares Cabral discovers Brazil en route to India, claiming it for Portugal. [7][10][11]
  • 1502: Vasco da Gama’s second voyage establishes the first Portuguese trading post in India at Cochin. [9][11][12]
  • 1505: King Manuel I of Portugal appoints the first Viceroy of India, Francisco de Almeida, to protect Portuguese interests in Asia. The Portuguese Estado da Índia (State of India) is established. [11][12]
  • 1510: Afonso de Albuquerque captures Goa in India, which becomes the capital of the Portuguese Estado da Índia. [11][12]
  • 1511: Albuquerque captures Malacca, giving Portugal control over the strategic Strait of Malacca and access to the spice trade of the Malay Archipelago. [6][11][12]

Expansion and Consolidation (1511-1600)

  • 1511-1641: Portugal colonizes Malacca and dominates trade in the Malay Archipelago. [12]
  • 1515: Portugal establishes a fort and trading post in Hormuz, giving it control over trade in the Persian Gulf. [1][11]
  • 1517: Portuguese merchants make first modern contact with China. [11]
  • 1543: Portuguese sailors accidentally land in Japan, the first Europeans to reach Japan. [11]
  • 1557: Portugal establishes Macau, which becomes its base for trade with China. [6][11][12]
  • 1571: Portugal begins colonizing the Nagasaki area in Japan and is granted a trade monopoly by the local daimyo. [11][12]
  • Late 1500s: The Portuguese establish a string of over 50 coastal forts and trading posts stretching from East Africa to Japan, giving them control over the Indian Ocean trade. [3][6]

Competition and Decline (1600-1663)

  • Early 1600s: The Dutch and English begin to challenge Portuguese dominance in Asia. The Dutch attack Portuguese Goa, Malacca, and Brazil. [12][13]
  • 1622: With English help, Persia takes control of Hormuz from Portugal. [12]
  • 1639-1640: Japan expels the Portuguese and adopts an isolationist policy. [11][12]
  • 1641: The Dutch capture Malacca from Portugal. [12]
  • 1663: The Dutch capture Cochin and all Portuguese possessions in the Malabar Coast of India. This ends Portugal’s spice trade monopoly. [13]

Later Presence and Decolonization (1663-1999)

  • 1663-1961: Portugal is left with just Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli in India; Macau in China; and East Timor in the Indonesian archipelago. These form the remnants of the Portuguese Empire in Asia. [13][14]
  • 1961: India annexes Goa, Daman and Diu, ending over 450 years of Portuguese rule. [13]
  • 1975: East Timor declares independence from Portugal but is invaded and occupied by Indonesia. [13]
  • 1999: Portugal hands sovereignty of Macau back to China. This marks the end of the Portuguese Empire in Asia after 500 years. [13][14]

So in summary, the Portuguese were the first European power to establish a colonial empire in Asia, starting with Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India in 1498. Through military force, they captured key ports like Goa, Malacca, Hormuz and Macau, which became their bases for dominating the lucrative Indian Ocean spice trade in the 1500s. However, the rise of Dutch and English competition in the 1600s, along with changing geopolitical conditions, led to a gradual decline and dismantling of the Portuguese Empire in Asia, which ended with the handover of Macau in 1999. Nonetheless, those 500 years left a lasting impact and legacy of Portuguese influence on the culture, language, architecture and cuisine of many parts of coastal South and Southeast Asia.

Citations:
[1] https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780191737657.timeline.0001
[2] https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=cf6a17a7-128f-4ba0-a6a3-90d009afe660
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Empire
[4] https://www.worldatlas.com/geography/former-portuguese-colonies.html
[5] https://asianartnewspaper.com/the-portuguese-in-asia-encompassing-the-globe/
[6] https://thediplomat.com/2019/07/how-portugal-forged-an-empire-in-asia/
[7] https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/portuguese-explorers/
[8] https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Empire/
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_European_exploration_of_Asia
[10] https://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu/ushistory/chapter/portuguese-exploration-and-spanish-conquest/
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_presence_in_Asia
[12] https://www.worldhistory.org/timeline/Portuguese_Empire/
[13] https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/the-portuguese-legacy-asia
[14] https://journals.openedition.org/lerhistoria/9105
[15] https://www.amazon.com/Portuguese-Empire-Asia-1500-1700-Political/dp/0470672919
[16] https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The%2BPortuguese%2BEmpire%2Bin%2BAsia%2C%2B1500%2B1700%3A%2BA%2BPolitical%2Band%2BEconomic%2BHistory%2C%2B2nd%2BEdition-p-9781118274026
[17] https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/20018760
[18] https://www.jstor.org/stable/44158873

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