Portugal in European and World History

Portugal is a country that has sometimes been dismissed as small and relatively unimportant. "Portugal in European and World History", however, demonstrates that the contrary is true, showing that Portugal has been crucial to the development of Europe and the modern world. Spanning many centuries, from early Moorish times to the Atlantic Empire; the English Alliance of 1650 1900; African colonies; the Salazar regime; and, the country's liberal revolution in 1974, Malyn Newitt offers a fresh appraisal of Portuguese history and its role in the world. The author examines episodes where Portugal was a key player or innovator, linking its history to a broader context. Chapters focus on such topics as Moorish Portugal, describing the cultural impact of contact with the Moors; the discovery of Brazil and opening up of trade with western Africa; and, the explorations of Vasco de Gama and the evolution of Portugal as the first commercial empire of modern times. Newitt also examines Portugal's role in the Counter-Reformation, in Spain's wars in Europe, and in the Anglo-Portuguese alliance. The Portuguese diaspora is considered: emigration had been taking place systematically since the fifteenth century but it reached massive proportions between 1820 and 1980. The author also shows how emigration is linked to underdevelopment, imperialism and globalization, and how the Portuguese experience compares with that of other major diasporas. Finally, Portugal's position in Africa is assessed, the Salazar/Caetano regime of 1928 74 examined, and the fall of fascism and decolonization of Portugal explored in the light of global empires and movements. A new account of a country with a rich history, which has played a key role in the development and expansion of the modern world, "Portugal in European and World History" shows how Portugal has moved from being the last colonial power to one of the most enthusiastic proponents of the modern European ideal.

ISBN 1861895194   Pages 256 ISBN13 9781861895196 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Reaktion Books   Weight (grammes) 454 Imprint Reaktion Books   Published in London Format Hardback   Height (mm) 198 Publication date 25 Sep 2009   Width (mm) 138 DEWEY 946.9   Spine width (mm) 28 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level General

		List of Maps		6
		Glossary and Abbreviations		7
		Introduction		11
1		The Second Crusade and the Capture of Lisbon		18
2		The Hundred Years War and the Crisis of Portuguese Independence		32
3		Portugal and the Discoveries		49
4		The First European Maritime Empire		67
5		The Union with Spain and the Armada 1578-89		82
6		The Portuguese Restoration and the General Crisis of the Seventeenth Century		97
7		Portugal, the Inquisition and the Triumph of English Merchant Capitalism		113
8		The Lisbon Earthquake, the Enlightenment and Crisis Politics		132
9		Portugal's Moment of Truth: The French and British Struggle for the Control of Lisbon		150
10		Portugal among the Great Powers: The Scramble for Africa		174
11		Portugal and the End of Empire		197
		Epilogue		217
		References		223
		Bibliography		235
		Acknowledgements		242
		Index		243

This absorbing study helps explain the emergence - and the endurance - of this most apparently vulnerable of countries; and how, for so much of modern history it has managed to punch above its weight. The Scotsman

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