The Portuguese Age of Discovery (1415–1580)

Portugal launched the "Age of Discovery" by combining navigational technology with a state-sponsored mission to bypass trans-Saharan and Ottoman trade monopolies.

1. Early Expansion and Prince Henry (1415–1460)

- **1415:** Conquest of **Ceuta** (North Africa). This provided a strategic base and intelligence on gold caravan routes.

- **1419–1427:** Discovery and colonization of Madeira and the Azores.

- **1434:** **Gil Eanes** sailed past Cape Bojador, breaking the psychological barrier of the "Sea of Darkness."

- **Institutional Support:** Prince Henry "The Navigator" established a research center at **Sagres**, aggregating cartographers, astronomers, and shipbuilders.

2. Technological Innovation: The Caravel

The development of the **Caravel** (c. 1440) was the primary enabler of long-distance exploration.

- **Design:** Small (50–80 tons), shallow draft, and **lateen (triangular) sails**.

- **Capability:** Unlike square-rigged ships, caravels could sail "close to the wind," allowing for the difficult return trip from Africa (*Volta do Mar*) by tacking against prevailing winds.

- **Navigation:** Use of the mariner's astrolabe and quadrant to determine latitude via celestial bodies.

3. The Route to India (1481–1498)

- **1488:** **Bartolomeu Dias** rounded the southern tip of Africa, naming it the *Cabo das Tormentas* (Cape of Storms), later renamed **Cape of Good Hope** by King João II.

- **1494: Treaty of Tordesillas:** A Papal-brokered agreement dividing the world between Portugal and Spain along a meridian 370 leagues west of Cape Verde. This secured Portugal's route to Africa and the Indian Ocean.

- **1498: Vasco da Gama:** Reached **Calicut, India** on May 20. The 10-month voyage proved that a direct sea route to the spice markets of Asia was viable.

4. Global Dominance and the Estado da India (1500–1515)

- **1500:** **Pedro Álvares Cabral** made landfall in **Brazil**, claiming it for Portugal.

- **1505:** Francisco de Almeida was appointed the first Viceroy of India.

- **1510:** **Afonso de Albuquerque** conquered **Goa**, which became the capital of the *Estado da India*.

- **1511:** Conquest of **Malacca**, securing the gateway to the "Spice Islands" (Moluccas).

- **1515:** Capture of **Hormuz**, giving Portugal control over the entrance to the Persian Gulf.

5. Economic and Social Impact

The **Casa da India** in Lisbon managed the royal monopoly on spices (pepper, cloves, cinnamon). The profit margins were immense: pepper bought in India for 3 ducats could be sold in Europe for 80.

- **Trade Policy:** Implementation of the **Cartaz** system, requiring all non-Portuguese ships in the Indian Ocean to pay a tax or face seizure.

- **Decline:** The **1580** death of King Sebastian without an heir led to the **Iberian Union** under Philip II of Spain, exposing Portuguese territories to attack by the Dutch and English.

Key Timeline Data

- **1415:** Conquest of Ceuta.

- **1434:** Crossing of Cape Bojador.

- **1488:** Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope.

- **1494:** Treaty of Tordesillas.

- **1498:** Vasco da Gama reaches India.

- **1500:** Cabral reaches Brazil.

- **1510:** Goa becomes the center of the Asian Empire.