Roman Conquest and Arab Occupation

Inhabited by several Iberian populations, including the Lusitanians, the territory of present-day Portugal was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century B.C. It was then occupied by the Visigoths in the 5th century A.D. and largely by the Arabs in the early 8th century. It became an independent kingdom in the first half of the twelfth century, consolidating in the following century with the progressive expulsion of the Arabs. With the rise to power of the Aviz dynasty between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the country began an extraordinary season of exploration trips thanks to the impulse of Henry the Navigator. Portuguese sailors have discovered new maritime routes to Africa, India, Brazil, and other parts of the world, thus opening new horizons for trade and exploration.

The Age of Exploration and Colonial Power

During the reign of John II and Manuel I, Portugal reached its peak as a colonial power. In 1498, Vasco da Gama circumnavigated Africa and reached India, opening a direct trade route with the East. In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral “discovered” Brazil, which became one of the most important colonies in Portugal.

Annexation, Independence, and Enlightened Despotism

From the second half of the sixteenth century, however, began a phase of decline. Annexed to Spain between 1580 and 1640 and returned independent under the Braganza dynasty, Portugal remained a European medium power with a large colonial empire. Very important, in the second half of the eighteenth century, was the experience of enlightened despotism and the government of the Marquis of Pombal.

French Occupation and the Braganza Dynasty

During the Napoleonic era, Portugal saw the occupation of its territory by the French (1807-1811). The Braganza family then fled to Brazil, promoting its independence in 1822. With the Congress of Vienna, the country was returned, but under the English regency, to the Braganza, who returned only in 1821, in the context of a revolutionary anti-British movement that led to the establishment of a constitutional regime.

There followed a long period of instability, disputes over the succession to the throne, internal unrest, and economic stagnation. Portugal finally became a republic in 1910 when a revolution deposed the last Braganza ruler.

From Monarchy to Republic: Instability and Dictatorship

After its participation in the First World War alongside the Entente powers (Great Britain, France, Russia), Portugal entered a new phase of instability. In 1926, a military coup began a long period of dictatorship, dominated since 1932 by the figure of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, who abolished the parties and gave rise to a fascist-style state, corporate and very linked to the hierarchies of the Catholic Church, in many respects similar to Spanish Francoism. Salazar remained in power until 1968, in a context of persistent economic and social backwardness. But the dictatorship, albeit with some moderate overtures, survived until 1974 when on 25 April 1974, a peaceful revolution known as the Carnation Revolution overthrew the authoritarian regime and paved the way for democracy.

Since then, after a period of tension within the same military elite in power, the country has acquired increasing stability, consolidating democratic institutions. The 1976 elections gave a majority to Mario Soares’ Socialist Party, which went to government.

Decolonization and the End of the Portuguese Empire

Important democratic reforms have been planned. In 1975, Portugal granted independence to its African territories. More than a million African Portuguese have left these colonies. In the same year, Indonesia managed to conquer East Timor before independence was guaranteed. Meanwhile, the former African colonies, in particular Angola and Mozambique, have been subject to civil wars lasting almost thirty years. With the events of 1975-1976, came the definitive end of the Portuguese empire, which had a life of over five centuries. In the following years, the Socialists of Soares, who also became President of the Republic, continued to play a decisive role in the political balance of Portugal, in alternation or in coalition with moderate and centrist forces, also several times in government. In 1986, Portugal joined the European Community while leaving EFTA. In 1999, Macau, thanks to agreements made with the People’s Republic of China in 1986, returned to Chinese sovereignty. In 2002, under Portuguese pressure, East Timor gained independence. Portugal is currently part of the European Union, being already a member of the European Economic Community.