CHRONOLOGY HISTORICAL EVENTS MAINLAND PORTUGAL and MADEIRA

The area that is now Portugal was first occupied by a tribe called the Lusitanians in about 1000 B. C. they were followed by other tribes, and eventually by the Romans, who conquered the region in about 200 B.C. Next came the Visigoths and the Moors.

In 1140 Portugal declared its independence after a series of successful battles with the Moors. Spain recognized the new country in 1143 and the Pope did the same in 1179.

The southern part of the country, the Algarve, remained under the control of the Moors until 1249, when it was retaken by the Portuguese. Portugal has retained its independence from 1140 until the present day except for a brief period under Spanish rule from 1580 to 1640. It has the oldest fixed frontiers of any European country.

1143 Kingdom of Portugal is recognized as a new country by Spain

1147 The Moors are expelled from Lisbon by the Christian Portuguese

1249 Alfonso III drives the Moors from Southern Portugal. Definition of frontiers is establish

1308 University of Coimbra is established

1319 The Order of Christ is established

1355 Romance of D. Pedro and D. Ines

1383 War with Castile

1385

Dom Joao I, becomes King of Portugal
1386-87Treaty of Windsor is signed with England
The marriage of Philippa of Lancaster to D. Joao I.
1394Birth of Prince Henry (known as Henry the Navigator)

1415

Ceuta is captured by the Portuguese The beginning of Portugal's African Empire
1418-19Prince Henry the Navigator begins the maritime expeditions
1420Colonization of the Archipalego of Madeira
1427-52The discovery of the Azorean Islands
1433King Joao I signs confirmation of "donatarias"in favor of the three "capitanos" that were responsible for the colonization of the Archipalego of Madeira
1434Navigation of Cape Bojador
1440Tristao Vaz Teixeira is given land allottment of Machico, Madeira
1441The first slaves are taken to Madrid, Spain
1444The Island of Porto Santo, Madeira is allotted to Bartalomau Perestrelo
1450Joao Goncalves Zargo is given land allottment of Funchal, Madeira800 families now residing on Madeira
1452Madeira receives the first consignment of slaves from Africa and the Canaries
1460Prince Henry the Navigator dies
1470Portuguese maritime expeditions reach the equator
1481Slaves on Madeira bore visible marks on chest or arm as public symbols of bondage
1485Famine breaks out in Madeira, grain crops are replaced by profitable sugar cane
1488Bartolomeu Dias rounds the southern tip of Africa, names it " Cape of Storms" renamed "Cape of Good Hope"
1489Vasco de Gama discovers the sea route to India's Malabar Coast
1492The Jews are expelled from Spain
Columbus discovers America
1493Construction of the Se Cathedral begins in Funchal, Madeira
1497The Jews are expelled from Portugal

1500

Portuguese navigator Pedro Cabral lays claim to Brazil for Portugal
1511The Portuguese capture Malacca (now Melaka in Malaysia)
15145,000 inhabitants residing on the Island of Madeira
1521Fernao Magalhaes,a Portuguese sails under the flag of Spain on the first attempt to sail around the world
1543The Portuguese arrive in Japan
1550Tabacco smoking is introduced into Spain and Portugal
15523,000 slaves now on the Island of Madeira
1566Pirate invasion of 11 ships and 1,300 buccaneers lead by Bertrand Montluc and Gaspar Caldeira plunder and destroy the city of Funchal, Madeira
1572"Os Lusiadas" by Luis deCamoes is published, it becomes the National Epic Poem detailing the explorations of Vasco daGama
1578King Sebastian of Portugal is killed by Muslims at Alcazquivir in Morocco
1580Philip II of Spain invades PortugalPortugal under Spanish rule Spanish troops arrive on Madeira and Porto SantoSpainsh troops marry local woman

1621

Philip IV becomes King of Spain and Portugal
1640Portugal regains independence from Spain
1661The English acquire Bombay from Portugal
1661Catherine of Braganza married Charles II of England
Further cementing the Portuguese and British alliance

1737

Slavery is abolished on Madeira
1755Earthquake levels Lisbon, killing 50,000
1778Portugal transfers its rights in Equatorial Guinea to Spain

1807

Portugal refuses to observe the blockade against England France invades Portugal
1807-14England's Admiral Hood and his troops are sent to defend Madeira After the signing of the peace treaty with France in 1814 many of the 4,000 troops remained on the island marrying local woman
1808The British under Wellington aids Portugal against France in the Peninsular War
1810Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army holds the French on the outskirts of Lisbon
1815Napoleon Bonaparte exile to St. Helena
1816Maria I of Portugal dies she is succeeded by Joao VI who remains in exile in Brazil
1822Brazil proclaims independence from Portugal

1922

First direct seaplane flight made from Lisbon to Funchal
1926Antonio Oscar deFragoso Carmona becomes President after a military coup in Portugal
1932Antonio deOliveira Salazar assumes dictatorial powers as Premier of Portugal
1974A military coup in Portugal leads to democratic reforms; Portugal recognizes the independence of Guinea-Bissau
1975Mozanbique wins independence from Portugal; Samora Machel becomes President
1976Mario Soares is elected Prime Minister of Portugal for the first time
1983Mario Soares become the Socialist Prime Minister of Portugal
1986Portugal joins the European Community
1992500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus
1997500th anniversary of the expulsion of Jews from Portugal

FootNote

This is by no means a complete listing of the events that surrounded and affected the lives of our Portuguese ancestry.

If you would like an event added to this listing, please feel free to contact me.

patriciacorbera@comcast.net

Patricia J. Silva Corbera Back To Home Page