The Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, took part in the battle for Ceuta, and its exoticism whetted his appetite for exploration and territorial expansion. Henry went on to become a patron of cartography, navigation, and exploration during the 15th century, and launched his country on its way to amassing an extensive empire spanning several continents. Captured by the Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque, this seaport off the west coast of India became Portugal’s most important outpost in the East. Goa was seized by India in 1961 and incorporated into the country the following year. Beginning in the 1960s, Goa became a famous hippie and backpacker haven. By 1510, the Portuguese had control of all the former Arab sultanates on the East African coast. Mozambique was administered as part of Goa, in India, until 1752, when it received its own captain-general. Guerrilla activity began in 1963 and became so effective by 1973 that Portugal was forced to dispatch 40,000 troops to fight the rebels. In 1975, the Portuguese gave Mozambique its independence, leaving the colony impoverished and with little resources to tackle the challenges of nationhood. For a history of Mozambique since independence, click here. In the 17th century the Dutch took control of the islands, and with it the world’s clove market. The Moluccas became part of Indonesia when the Dutch gave up its colonies in the region. In the past year the Moluccas have experienced serious unrest, and divisions between its Muslim and Christian populations have repeatedly erupted in violence. See Indonesia After Suharto. The future king, John of Portugal, fled to Brazil in 1807 after Napoleon’s invasion and remained there until 1821. After he assumed the throne, John VI granted Brazil equal status with Portugal and renamed the two countries the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil. Once John returned to Portugal in 1821, his son, Pedro I, became king, and declared Brazil’s independence in 1822. Brazil’s large black minority are the descendants of former slaves brought to Brazil from Portugal’s African colonies to work on plantations. Independent movements and guerrilla warfare in Angola beleaguered Portugal in the 20th century, and the 1974 military coup in Portugal was in part sparked by the desire to withdraw from the African colonies. In 1975 Portugal abruptly exited its African colonies. Unprepared for nationhood and beset by violent factions and extreme poverty, Angola has rarely experienced a moment of peace since the Portuguese withdrawal. For the history of Angola since independence, click here.
title: “Macao The Portuguese Colonial Empire Comes To An End” ShowToc: true date: “2023-02-04” author: “Patricia Bellantoni”
