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Europe
Portugal |
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| Last reviewed: 17 August 2009 |
Country information
HISTORY
Portugal gained independence in 1143 and D.Afonso Henriques was proclaimed King of Portugal. Under his reign, the kingdom trebled in size.
King Afonso III expanded the borders to the Algarve in 1249. The explorations of the African Coast and the Atlantic began under King João. Portugal's mainland boundaries have not changed since.
Discoveries occupied most of the 15th century: Madeira, Azores and, Cape Verde. The Portuguese also discovered the sea route to India, via the Cape of Good Hope. Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498 and Pedro Cabral, trying to reach India, discovered Brazil two years later (1500). Other Portuguese explorers reached the Far East, China and Japan.
In 1580, Portugal lost its independence to Spain. King Sebastião disappeared in the battle of Álcacer Quibir, and, since he had no heirs, the throne went to Philip II of Spain – Philip I of Portugal - who was the son of a Portuguese Princess. Portugal regained independence 60 years later, in 1640.
When Napoleon's army threatened Portugal, the Royal Family fled to Brazil and ruled from Rio de Janeiro where they remained for 14 years. The French were expelled in 1811, with the help of the British, under the command of Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington.
The Monarchy was overthrown in Portugal after the assassination of King D Carlos in 1908, and in 1910 Portugal was proclaimed a Republic. The last King of Portugal, D Manuel II died in exile in London in 1932.
Between 1936 and 1974 Portugal lived under a right wing dictatorial regime characterised by suppression of dissent and local government growth, isolated from the European mainstream and drawing on natural resources of African colonies.
This period ended with the military-led left wing revolution of 25 April 1974, followed by a rapid and chaotic de-colonisation of its former colonies. The key industrial and commercial enterprises were nationalised, as were many large agricultural estates, some of them owned by British citizens.
Portugal held its first democratic elections and approved its first democratic Constitution in 1976. The country joined the EU (then European Economic Community EEC) in 1986.
BBC Timeline of Portugal
