What countries were under the Portuguese Empire?

The Portuguese empire controlled the Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Principe around the coast of Africa; Cochin, Goa, and Colombo on the Indian sub-continent; Macao and Nagasaki in East Asia; Mozambique and Angola in Africa; and Brazil.

How were the Portuguese and Spanish empires different?

The Portuguese and Spanish empires were different because the Spanish conquered large areas of land while the Portuguese preferred to control only major trading ports.

Why did the Portuguese empire fall?

The Portuguese empire fell because it was very difficult to control a large empire across the globe and there was a lot of competition from other, richer and more powerful European states like the Netherlands, England, and France who also wanted to create their empires.

Portuguese Empire Timeline

Definition

The Portuguese Empire was established from the 15th century and eventually stretched from the Americas to Japan. Very often a string of coastal trading centres with defensive fortifications, there were larger territorial colonies like Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique. White Europeans dominated trade, politics, and society, but there was also a significant mixing of races, and in many places, people of mixed ancestry rose to positions of wealth and power in the colonies.

More about: Portuguese Empire

Timeline

1420
The Portuguese colonize the Madeira archipelago.
1439
The Portuguese colonize the Azores archipelago.
1462
The Portuguese colonize the Cape Verde archipelago.
1486
The Portuguese colonize the islands of São Tomé and Principe.
7 Jun 1494
Portugal and Spain sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the world into two spheres of influence.
8 Jul 1497 - Aug 1499
The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama sails around the Cape of Good Hope and on to India and back.
24 Apr 1498 - 18 May 1498
Vasco da Gama crosses the Indian Ocean for the first time by sailing from Malindi to Calicut, India.
1500
The Portuguese mariner Pedro Álvares Cabral lands in Brazil.
1502 - 1503
Vasco da Gama sails a 15-ship fleet from Portugal to Calicut, India.
1502
The Portuguese establish the first trading station (feitoria) in Brazil north of Rio de Janeiro.
1503
The Portuguese colonize Cochin in western India.
1505 - 1961
The Estado da India is in existence, that part of the Portuguese Empire from East Africa to Japan.
1505
The Portuguese begin to attack cities and build forts along the Swahili Coast in order to control trade.
1506
The Portuguese coloinze Mozambique Island.
1510 - 1961
Goa on the west coast of india is a Portuguese colony.
1510
Afonso de Albuquerque conquers Goa in India for Portugal.
1511
Afonso de Albuquerque captures Malacca in Malaysia for Portugal.
1511 - 1641
Malacca in Malaysia is a Portuguese colony.
1515
Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf is colonized by the Portuguese.
1518
The Portuguese establish a fort at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
1519 - 1522
Ferdinand Magellan's expedition circumnavigates the globe for the first time.
1519
The Portuguese establish a fort at Kollam in India.
1521
The Portuguese establish a fort at Chaul in India.
Apr 1524
Vasco da Gama sails om his third voyage from Portugal to India.
1530
Portuguese Goa replaces Cochin as the capital of the Estado da India.
1532
The first Portuguese settlement in Brazil is founded at São Vicente.
1533
A papal bull establishes the archdiocese of the Estado da India.
1533 - 1539
The first sugar plantations are established in Portuguese Brazil at Pernambuco, Sâo Vicente and Rio.
1543
Three Portuguese mariners accidentally land in Japan, the first Europeans to do so.
1546
The Portuguese establish a formidable fortress on Mozambique Island.
1549
Brazil is made a Crown colony of the Portuguese empire.
1560
Portuguese Goa has it first archbishop appointed.
1567
The French colony of France Antarctique in Guanabara Bay, Brazil is taken over by the Portuguese.
1571 - 1639
The Portuguese control the port of Nagasaki in Japan.
c. 1571
The Japanese daimyo Omura Sumitada grants the Portuguese control of Nagasaki.
1571
Foundation of the colony of Portuguese Angola.
1572
The Portuguese Crown establishes a viceroy in Portuguese Brazil.
1575
The Crown appoints a governor of Portuguese Angola.
1576
Luanda on the coast of Portuguese Angola is founded. It will be the capital and a major hub of the Atlantic slave trade.
1596
The Dutch arrive in Southeast Asia and challenge the Portuguese and their empire.
1603
Dutch forces attack Portuguese Goa.
1604
A Council of State is established at Portuguese Goa.
1610
Dutch forces once again attack Portuguese Goa.
1616
The Dutch attack Portuguese Malacca for the first time.
1621
The Portuguese, with help from the Jaga, force the king of Ndongo to flee his kingdom in Portuguese Angola.
1622
The Persians, with English assistance, take control of Hormuz from the Portuguese.
1624
The Dutch capture Salvador in Portuguese Brazil.
1629
The Dutch attack Portuguese Malacca for a second time.
1630
The Dutch capture Olinda and Recife in Portuguese Brazil.
1632
The Dutch capture Pernambuco in Portuguese Brazil.
c. 1633
The Portuguese conquer the southern African kingdom of Mutapa.
Dec 1637 - Apr 1638
The Shimabara Rebellion in Japan, which the shogunate blames on Christians, leading to an expulsion of all Europeans.
1638 - 1644
Dutch forces attempt to blockade Portuguese Goa.
1640 - 1668
Spain is at war with Portugal.
1641
The Dutch attack and take over Portuguese Malacca.
1641
A Dutch force takes over Luanda, capital of Portuguese Angola.
1648
A military froce from Portuguese Brazil recaptures Luanda, the capital of Portuguese Angola, from Dutch control.
1654
Portuguese Brazil regains control of those parts of the colony taken over by the Dutch.
1656 - 1663
Dutch forces attempt to blockade Portuguese Goa for a second time. The blockade ends with a peace treaty.
1656
The Dutch attack and take over Portuguese Colombo.
1663
The Dutch attack and take over Portuguese Cochin.
1663
A peace treaty is agreed between Portugal and the Netherlands regarding Portuguese Brazil.
1665
An alliance of Angolan tribes and the Portuguese defeat the Kingdom of Kongo at the Battle of Mbwila.
1670
A Portuguese force is defeated by the Kingdom of Kongo at Soyo.
1676
The first bishop is appointed at Luanda, capital of Portuguese Angola.
1683
A peace treaty is agreed between the Portuguese and the Matamba kingdom in Portuguese Angola. This ends the Angolan Wars.
1711
French forces briefly take over Rio de Janeiro in Portuguese Brazil.
1755
Amerindians in Portuguese Brazil are recognised as full and free subjects of the Portuguese Crown.
1763
Rio de Janeiro is made sole capital of Portuguese Brazil.
1799 - 1815
Portuguese Goa is occupied by the British during the Napoleonic Wars.
1808
Fearing for its safety, the Portuguese monarchy relocates to Portuguese Brazil.
1822
Brazil declares independence form Portugal.
1853
Brazil porhibits the importation of slaves, ending the slave trade from Portuguese Angola.
1902 - 1915
A series of rebellions within Portuguese Angola are put down.
1951
Angola becomes an Overseas Province of Portugal.
1961
Portuguese Goa is invaded by the Indian military.
1975
Angola gains independence from Portugal.
1999
Portuguese Macao is handed over to China.