Portuguese & Spanish Empires

Spanish & Portuguese Empires

Overview

  • Course: HIST 117 - Spring 2025

  • Instructor: Prof. MacKinlay

  • Setting: Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal

Trade & Wealth

  • New Trade Routes: Established routes to India and East Asia.

  • Mineral Wealth: Extraction of gold and silver significantly contributed to European economies.

  • Sugar & Slavery: Expansion of existing plantation systems necessitated large-scale slave trafficking, with implications tied to sugar cultivation.

  • Christianity: Efforts to spread Christianity and enhance church authority in new territories.

Models of Trade

Portugal's Model

  • Trading Forts: Established strategic trading posts in Africa and Asia.

  • Trade Networks: Extensive maritime networks facilitated the movement of goods and slaves.

Spain's Model

  • Military Expansion: Used military force for territorial conquest and integration of native cultures.

  • Cultural Conversion: Modeled on the Reconquest, aimed to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity.

  • Distribution of Spoils: Wealth generated through conquest often distributed among military leaders.

Portuguese Empire in Africa

Key Events

  • 1336: Portuguese arrive in the Canary Islands.

  • 1341: Initial military efforts against the Guanche people.

  • 1434: Explorer Gil Eanes rounds Cap Vert, marking a significant exploration milestone.

  • 1455: Romanus Pontifex issued, granting Portuguese trade monopolies in Africa.

  • 1470: Discovery of São Tomé on the equator.

  • 1482: Construction of the fort at El mina for gold trade.

Figures of Note

  • Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460): Crucial in sponsoring voyages along the African coast.

  • Guanche Leadership: Statues and artifacts representing indigenous leaders demonstrate interactions with European explorers.

Portuguese in Asia

Major Voyages

  • 1488: Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope.

  • 1494: Treaty of Tordesillas divides new world territories between Spain and Portugal.

  • 1498: Vasco da Gama lands in Calicut, establishing Portugal's presence in India.

  • 1500: Pedro Alvares Cabral reaches Brazil accidentally during an Indian voyage.

  • 1514-1557: Expansion of trade and missionary efforts into China and Japan, establishing a foothold in Macau.

Missionary & Religious Efforts

  • Jesuits: Engaged in educational and missionary work under direct papal authority, promoting Christianity in Asia.

  • Notable Figures:

    • Matteo Ricci: Key figure in introducing Christianity to China.

    • Francis Xavier: Pioneer missionary in Japan.

  • Religious Suppression: Japan enacted suppression of Christianity in response to conversions.

Spanish Exploration and Colonization

Key Dates

  • 1492: Columbus lands in the Bahamas, claiming new territories for Spain.

  • 1493-1504: Columbus's voyages lead to European awareness of the Americas.

  • 1502: Establishment of royal authority in the Americas with Nicolás de Ovando as governor.

  • 1517: Diego de Velásquez leads expeditions into Central America.

Spanish Conquest of Mexico

  • Epidemic Diseases: Introduction of diseases led to a significant population decline; estimates show a 90% reduction by 1592.

  • Hernán Cortés: His expedition and subsequent actions against the Mexica marked a key point in Spanish colonization.

  • Malinche: Key interpreter aiding Cortés, reflecting cultural and linguistic exchanges.

Spanish Conquest of Peru

Key Events

  • 1513: Vasco Núñez de Balboa reaches the Pacific.

  • 1532: Pizarro captures Atawallpa, leading to Spanish dominance in the Inca Empire.

  • Resistance Movements: Continued resistance from Inca-led uprisings until the late 1570s.

Spanish Empire in Asia

  • Magellan's Voyage: First circumnavigation of the globe, showcasing Spain's maritime strength.

  • Establishment of Fort Manila: Replacement of existing settlements solidifying Spanish power in the region.

Sugar & Slavery

  • Sugar Cultivation Origins: Begins in the 1200s, gradually expanding to new territories with Portuguese involvement.

  • Slave Trade: Rise of sugar plantations directly linked to the Atlantic slave trade established by Spanish authorities.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

  • Estimated Figures: Over 12 million Africans forcibly transported to the Americas between 1450 and 1880.

  • Spanish Asiento: A system initiated to regulate the trade and supply of slaves.

Legacies of the Empires

  • Wealth Accumulation: Major influx of resources into Europe, creating power dynamics critical to European dominance.

  • Population Decline: Significant demographic shifts in the Americas due to disease and colonization practices.

  • Cultural Integration and Conflict: The mixture of European, African, and native cultures leading to lasting societal changes.