Discussion paper
DP20777 Portugal's Empire in Africa and Asia, 1415-1975
Portugal’s empire began with the conquest of Ceuta (1415) and lasted until the decolonization process (1974-1975). Portugal, therefore, both led the first wave of Western colonization and became the last to relinquish its empire during the twentieth century. Concentrating on the African and Asian dimensions of Portugal's empire, I offer a comparison with other European empires, summarizing relevant events and chronologies. Issues covered include openness ver-sus protection, slavery and slave trading, the role of early colonial settlers, and the empire's impact on both the metropolitan economy and the regions that were colonized.
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