Portugal

History of Portugal Chronology

First Dynasty: the House of Burgundy

1143 – Treaty of Zamora – Birth of the kingdom of Portugal. First king: Dom Afonso Henriques.
1249 – Definition of frontiers, which have remained virtually unchanged.
1308 – Establishment of the University of Coimbra
1319 – Dom Diniz, the Poet King. Establishment of the Order of Christ, following the abolition of the Templar Knights.
1355 – True Drama of D. Pedro and D. Inês de Castro.
1383/85 – Interregnum and war with Castile.

Second Dynasty: the House of Avis

1385 – Dom João I, Master of Avis, King of Portugal.
1386/87 – Signing of the Treaty of Windsor with England and marriage of Philippa of Lancaster with the King.
1418/19 – Beginning of the maritime expansion under the guidance of Prince Henry, the Navigator. Discovery of Madeira.
1427/52 – Discovery of the Azores.
1434/88 – Maritime expeditions to the African Coast – Cape Bojador, Cape Verde, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Benin, Zaire and Cape of Good Hope.
1497/98 – Reign of King Dom Manuel I – Vasco da Gama’s maritime voyage to India.
l500 – Pedro Alvares Cabral discovers Brazil.
1511 – Arrival of the Portuguese in Malacca and China.
1543 – Arrival of the Portuguese in Japan.
1572 – Luís de Camões publishes “Os Lusíadas” – A national Epic Poem.

Third Dynasty: the Three Philips

1580 – Philip II of Spain succeeds to the throne of Portugal, after the disappearance of Dom Sebastião in Alcazarquivir in 1578. Philip II’s son and grandson succeeded as kings.

Fourth Dynasty: the House of Braganza

1640 – Restoration of the Throne to Dom Joao IV, Duke of Braganza and King of Portugal.
1661 – Catherine of Braganza marries Charles II of England.
1736 – Beginning of the Reign of Dom Joao V – Economic and artistic apogee in Portugal – The age of the Baroque.
1755 – Earthquake and beginning of the reconstruction of Lisbon – Dom José is King. Prime Minister, Marquis of Pombal until 1777.
1807/11 – Napoleonic invasions.
1822 – First Portuguese Constitution under Dom João VI. Brazil proclaims independence.
1867 – Abolition of capital Punishment.
1908 – Regicide of Dom Carlos.

The Republic

1910 – Revolution and establishment of the Republic.
1922 – First crossing of the South Atlantic by airplane, by Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral.
1932 – Salazar becomes Prime Minister.
1974 – “Coup d’État” and establishment of democracy.
1975 – Beginning of African decolonization.
1986 – Portugal joins the European Economic Community.