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Europe and the World in the Age of Expansion #1
Foundations of the Portuguese Empire, 1415-1580
Foundations of the Portuguese Empire, 1415-1580 was first published in 1977. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. This account traces the history of the Portuguese overseas discoveries, following the expansion into the Atlantic island, the Madeiras, and the Azores. It continues the account with the history of Portuguese discoveries along the African coast, at Guinea, the Congo, and Good Hope, then follows the voyages of Vasco da Gama to India and to Cabra, Brazil, and the expansion in the early years of the sixteen century to Malacca, China, and the East Indies. The volume presents not only a useful narrative of the spread of Portuguese empire but also new interpretations and analyses of the Portuguese overseas history.
588 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 3, 2018
Caravels and Kings: the Portuguese in Africa and Asia
If Christopher Bell's "Portugal and the Quest for the Indies" is written as popular history, in an adventurous style, and if C.R. Boxer's masterpiece, "The Portuguese Seaborne Empire" excels in synthesis and displays a breathtaking grasp of world history, then Diffie and Winius have produced a 435 page "history by the numbers"---a methodical, step-by-step story of how Portugal began to explore the Atlantic coasts of Africa, how it outmaneuvered its rivals, settled Madeira and the Azores, and developed a system of trade and control that lasted over a century before succumbing to more powerful, better organized rivals and to the consequences of a small nation's being overextended. Puncturing the various balloons of myth and legend, the authors' down-to-earth, but highly detailed approach to the history of Portuguese exploration and penetration of the trading world of the Indian Ocean and the Far East is an extremely useful and interesting volume, probably required reading for students in the field. FOUNDATIONS OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE sticks to the period 1415-1580, at which later date, Portugal entered into a sixty year period of absorption by Spain.
The strong point about this book is the documentation, so useful for further research or inquiry. Footnotes have been placed at the bottom of the page, not in the text, thereby allowing smooth reading for people like me, who are unlikely to need to know the exact sources. There are some good maps and a section of illustrations. Not only are the voyages and battles in the East covered, but the authors also keep track of what was going on back in Portugal; the royal follies, the intrigues and battles with Spain, the rivalries among the Italian city states, the fruitless attempt to conquer Morocco, and the energetic trade with the Flemish ports to the north. We learn how the Portuguese got their information and see how, though mercantile reasons seemed to be by far the strongest motivation for their exploits, they often made huge sacrifices for reasons of faith too. From Ethiopia to Japan, from Persia to the Moluccas, soldiers, traders, and priests spent their lives in the quest for riches and in (mostly vain) efforts to save souls. The authors point out that the Portuguese domination of trade in the Indian Ocean during the period under discussion was no accident. Rather, it was the result of a geopolitical plan to strangle Muslim trade, and control trade routes through strategically placed forts (Sofala, Mombasa, Ormuz, Goa, Malacca, etc.) and a strong fleet. Rivalries among Portuguese commanders in the East, as well as the Portuguese king's distrust of his far-flung lieutenants, led to many a disaster, but time and time again, Portuguese naval power and unbelievable bellicosity overcame huge odds. The last chapter of the book, entitled "The Balance Sheet", tries to decide whether the whole thing paid off---if in fact, aside from individual fortunes made, Portugal benefitted from its explorations and conquests.
The weakest point in FOUNDATIONS OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE is that the authors seem far more comfortable and authoritative when dealing with Europe, with the Portuguese side of the story. When, on a few occasions, they attempt to describe Asian societies, their explanations are weak. Some errors creep in. They hardly mention any African societies at all: the Africans are acted upon, never actors. For an extremely thorough story of Portuguese methods of expansion and economic domination, however, I would recommend Diffie and Winius� work to every interested reader.
If Christopher Bell's "Portugal and the Quest for the Indies" is written as popular history, in an adventurous style, and if C.R. Boxer's masterpiece, "The Portuguese Seaborne Empire" excels in synthesis and displays a breathtaking grasp of world history, then Diffie and Winius have produced a 435 page "history by the numbers"---a methodical, step-by-step story of how Portugal began to explore the Atlantic coasts of Africa, how it outmaneuvered its rivals, settled Madeira and the Azores, and developed a system of trade and control that lasted over a century before succumbing to more powerful, better organized rivals and to the consequences of a small nation's being overextended. Puncturing the various balloons of myth and legend, the authors' down-to-earth, but highly detailed approach to the history of Portuguese exploration and penetration of the trading world of the Indian Ocean and the Far East is an extremely useful and interesting volume, probably required reading for students in the field. FOUNDATIONS OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE sticks to the period 1415-1580, at which later date, Portugal entered into a sixty year period of absorption by Spain.
The strong point about this book is the documentation, so useful for further research or inquiry. Footnotes have been placed at the bottom of the page, not in the text, thereby allowing smooth reading for people like me, who are unlikely to need to know the exact sources. There are some good maps and a section of illustrations. Not only are the voyages and battles in the East covered, but the authors also keep track of what was going on back in Portugal; the royal follies, the intrigues and battles with Spain, the rivalries among the Italian city states, the fruitless attempt to conquer Morocco, and the energetic trade with the Flemish ports to the north. We learn how the Portuguese got their information and see how, though mercantile reasons seemed to be by far the strongest motivation for their exploits, they often made huge sacrifices for reasons of faith too. From Ethiopia to Japan, from Persia to the Moluccas, soldiers, traders, and priests spent their lives in the quest for riches and in (mostly vain) efforts to save souls. The authors point out that the Portuguese domination of trade in the Indian Ocean during the period under discussion was no accident. Rather, it was the result of a geopolitical plan to strangle Muslim trade, and control trade routes through strategically placed forts (Sofala, Mombasa, Ormuz, Goa, Malacca, etc.) and a strong fleet. Rivalries among Portuguese commanders in the East, as well as the Portuguese king's distrust of his far-flung lieutenants, led to many a disaster, but time and time again, Portuguese naval power and unbelievable bellicosity overcame huge odds. The last chapter of the book, entitled "The Balance Sheet", tries to decide whether the whole thing paid off---if in fact, aside from individual fortunes made, Portugal benefitted from its explorations and conquests.
The weakest point in FOUNDATIONS OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE is that the authors seem far more comfortable and authoritative when dealing with Europe, with the Portuguese side of the story. When, on a few occasions, they attempt to describe Asian societies, their explanations are weak. Some errors creep in. They hardly mention any African societies at all: the Africans are acted upon, never actors. For an extremely thorough story of Portuguese methods of expansion and economic domination, however, I would recommend Diffie and Winius� work to every interested reader.
November 11, 2019
I just started to read this book but I'm already troubled by flagrant historical errors. In "The Polos and Christian Missionaries in the East: 1260-1328", chapter 1, says "a new threat to the Christians was emerging in the Near East where the Ottomans, a branch of the Turks, had invaded and converted to Islam." in the context of 1269. Osman I, founder of the Ottoman dynasty, reigned between 1299-1326. The Ottomans did not invade and then converted to Islam, they were one of the numerous beyliks that resulted from the collapse of the Rum sultanate, which was already muslim. It goes further and says that in 1291 "Acre fell to the Ottomans", while in reality it fell to the Mamluk sultanate. Where did the author get his information? Has the editor reviewed this book? The main topic are the portuguese so I hope the author did a better job with them, so I will keep reading, but this kind of errors are unacceptable from a proper historian.
April 26, 2011
A great book for serious history buffs who are interested in the beginnings of European exploration and colonialism, as the Portuguese were really the trailblazers - the first European nation to find a practical sea route between Europe and South & East Asia, and the first to establish permanent overseas commercial operations. That they were overshadowed by the later and more successful overseas ventures of the Dutch and English does not make their role in history any less important. The first few chapters were a bit textbook-ish, very heavy on names and dates, but once it found its narrative voice starting around chapter 4 or 5, it was a gold mine of information.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews