| Seafaring and
trade reached their bloom very quickly in Portugal. Prince Enrique
arranged sea expeditions to the shores of Africa. In 1418, Madeira was
discovered; the Azores were discovered in 1447 and Senegamnbia in 1455.
Bartolomeu Dias reached the Cape of Good Hope in 1486, and Vasquez da
Gama reached India in 1497-1498. The colonization of East India began in
1520. From 1505 onwards, the coast of Sri Lanka belonged to Portugal;
Mozambique was added in 1507. Cabral discovered Brazil in 1500. Approved
by the Pope, a special agreement divided the Earth by meridians and gave
Portugal new lands to the east of Cap Verde, while Spain received lands
to the west. A surge of various imported goods and precious metals hit
the shores of Portugal. The entire colonial world trade was in the hands
of this country. But England and the Netherlands posed a serious threat
to Portugal's predominance at sea and in the colonies. The Portuguese
fleet, part of the Spanish Armada, was defeated by the British (the
union signed between Portugal and Spain in 1578 was in force until
1640). The Netherlands forced Portugal out of East Indian trade, and in
1624 took over a part of Brazil. In 1632, the same happened to Sri
Lanka, and in 1640 to all Portugal colonies in East India. Intensive
trade with Britain developed. Portugal did not actively participate in
any continental wars due to its geographical position and lack of
military organization. At the turn of the century, England, carrying out
immense struggles at sea and in the colonies, became Portugal's active
ally. But Portugal did not manage to retain its former power. It lost
its colonies and new sea states appeared on the map. |
