The Portuguese Empire

portugal pioneered the first global
empire in history from the 15th century
and embarked on some great voyages of
discovery throughout this period of
exploration it developed strong maritime
technology its navigation and
cartography advances helped establish
outposts overseas at the height of its
empire in 1498 Vasco de Gama reached
India making Portugal the center of
commerce with the East thanks to its
intervention in the spice trade which
Ben is previously monopolized Portugal
not only dominated trade between Asia
and Europe but also much of the trade
within regions of Asia and South America
in the 1540s John the third brought
Brazil under Portugal’s direct royal
control Portugal also colonized
stretches of Africa during the 17th
century the long gradual decline of the
Portuguese Empire began other European
states started challenging its hegemony
in 1822 portugal lost brazil a century
and a half later the colonial regime
collapsed and in 1999 its last colony
mad cow was handed back to china the
cultural successor of the empire is the
community of portuguese language
countries