Origins and Early Kingdom

The region of Portugal shares the Roman history of the Iberian Peninsula (Hispania). Following Roman rule, the area was controlled by Suebi and Visigoths before being conquered by the Moors in the 8th century CE. The Reconquista in Portugal began early and was largely completed by the mid-13th century. Portugal became an independent kingdom in 1139, recognized by the Pope in 1179, with Afonso Henriques as its first king. Portugal established its continental borders by 1249, making it one of Europe's oldest continuous nations. 

The Age of Discovery and Global Empire

Portugal was a leading force in maritime exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries. Key figures like Prince Henry the Navigator spurred innovation in navigation and shipbuilding. Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to sail around the southern tip of Africa (Bartolomeu Dias), establish a sea route to India (Vasco da Gama), and land in Brazil (Pedro Álvares Cabral). 

Decline and Instability

The end of the Aviz dynasty in 1580 led to a sixty-year period of union with the Spanish Crown (the Iberian Union). Portugal restored its independence in 1640, but its power waned. A devastating earthquake struck Lisbon in 1755, and the country was later invaded by Napoleonic forces in the early 19th century. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Portuguese royal court relocated to Brazil, which declared independence in 1822. 

Republic and Dictatorship

In 1910, a revolution overthrew the monarchy, establishing the First Portuguese Republic, which was politically unstable. This eventually led to a military coup in 1926, which installed an authoritarian regime that lasted until 1974. António de Oliveira Salazar led this regime for much of its existence (known as the Estado Novo, or "New State"). This period saw Portugal clinging to its remaining large African colonies (Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau) while other European nations decolonized. 

The Carnation Revolution and Modern Democracy

On April 25, 1974, a military coup known as the Carnation Revolution peacefully overthrew the authoritarian regime. This event rapidly led to the independence of Portugal's African colonies and the establishment of the modern Portuguese democratic republic. Portugal joined the European Economic Community (EEC), now the EU, in 1986. Today, it is a stable democratic nation and a member of the EU and NATO.