31
votes
Accepted
How and when was Portugal created?
I mean if the people felt they were Portuguese how could they accept kings with Asturian origins?
Because they didn't feel they were "Portuguese" until later on.
Firstly, you are taking the modern ...
- 12.4k
31
votes
Accepted
Why isn't there a single trace of Germanic influence in Iberian Languages?
(Note that there are definitively many traces of Germanic influence on Spanish/Portuguese. For example, as @AlbertYago's pointed out, the Iberian vocabulary contains several Germanic imports; ...
- 97.4k
24
votes
Was there a German embassy open in 1941 Lisbon?
There was a functioning embassy of Germany in Lisbon for almost all of the second world war, until 6 May 1945. But there was no ambassador for a period in 1944–45.
Oswald von Hoyningen-Huene was the ...
- 544
20
votes
How and when was Portugal created?
As mentioned in the comments, the Wikipedia entry on this subject does not adequately describe the situation and causes of the foundation of Portugal.
The creation of Portugal was nothing short of a ...
- 37.8k
15
votes
Is this excerpt from an AI-generated answer re Portugal in WWII based on any real events?
Turns out the US government keeps records on all the international conferences it attends, and there is no record of it attending any such conference in Lisbon.
Before the war, the last conference in ...
- 118k
14
votes
In WW2, why didn't Japan invade Macau?
Macau was a Portuguese Colony right next door to Hong Kong. Why didn't Japan invade it during WW2?
Because they didn't need to.
The Portuguese were steadfastly neutral. They weren't a military ...
- 54.9k
9
votes
Accepted
During the Peninsula War, what British material aid was given to Spain/Portugal?
The most significant contribution that Britain made to the Portuguese and Spanish military was in the form of cash. This allowed them to recruit & pay their soldiers and supply them with food &...
- 19.3k
9
votes
Why was the spice trade so profitable in the 15th century?
Spices were what we would nowadays call mass luxuries. These are luxury goods that the masses can afford in small quantities. They are desired because they are out of the ordinary, and offer a "change ...
- 104k
9
votes
Did the Portuguese get anything in return when they handed back Macau?
By giving up Macau quietly, Portugal avoided an embarrassment similar to the one they experienced when India took Goa.
More seriously, this was done as part of a treaty at a point in time where ...
- 2,795
9
votes
Did the Portuguese get anything in return when they handed back Macau?
On the contrary. Portugal started building the (very expensive) Macau International Airport after the handover of Macau decision was already settled between Portugal and China (1987).
Even more,
...
- 190
8
votes
Accepted
Did the Portuguese build any settlement around the Cape of Good Hope?
Although the Portuguese had dozens of small forts and watering stations all along the coast at various times, none of these were developed as settlements because South Africa originally had no ...
- 37.8k
8
votes
Why didn't Spain and Portugal become industrial powerhouses in the 20th century?
I cannot give you a definitive answer, but I think some of the general ideas are flawed:
Starting point: You should not understimate the differences at the beginning of the 20th century between Spain ...
- 12.4k
6
votes
Why was the spice trade so profitable in the 15th century?
I think previous answers miss the most important reason why spices were such a valuable good, and so expensive in Europe (or China, btw).
The main point is that spices were mostly consumed not for ...
- 5,839
6
votes
Accepted
Is there a relationship between Portugal and Spain being able to discover the New World and the Moor occupation?
I think you can talk about potential Moorish influences on Iberian nautical expansion in following three areas:
Wealth
By the 9th/10th Century, al-Andalus (Islamic Spain + Portugal) was by far the ...
- 2,203
6
votes
Is there a relationship between Portugal and Spain being able to discover the New World and the Moor occupation?
"Some people believe that Renaissance started in Toledo". Who are these people? I think the prevailing opinion is that Renaissance started in Italy. By the way, Columbus came from Italy too.
And ...
- 38.5k
6
votes
Has Morocco ever claimed ownership of the Canary and Madeira islands?
Morocco has no sensible grounds to claim these islands.
It might have some legitimacy to claim semi-enclaves like Ceuta and Melilla or the couple of tiny islands off of its shore that currently are ...
- 23.2k
6
votes
Accepted
Why is former Portuguese flag similar to Finnish one?
The first flag of Portugal was the coat of arms of Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal and father of Afonso I (1109-1185), the first king of Portugal.
It's an azure cross over a silver field. ...
- 1,900
6
votes
Why isn't there a single trace of Germanic influence in Iberian Languages?
The accepted answer is very good at giving context and explaining the difference of the Iberian languages with England (where a Germanic language replaced previous romance and Celtic languages) and ...
- 3,629
6
votes
Did the Portuguese Crown sponsor Brazilian gold-seeking expeditions (bandeiras) in the 17th century?
About the context of the bandeiras (unsponsored expeditions) from S. Paulo (formerly S. Vicente captaincy)
In short:
In much of the highlands, specially S. Paulo, outside of the sugar cane coastal ...
- 4,100
6
votes
Accepted
On 15 October 1810 the 92nd Regiment were billeted in ruined houses at Crozendera, Portugal. Can anyone pinpoint this location?
A guess is that the 92nd was billeted at Gozundeira between 15 Oct and 15 Nov 1810. This tiny place is in the middle of the map on page 10 of the very informative modern essay The Lines of Torres ...
- 5,819
5
votes
Accepted
How did NATO handle the military coups and juntas in Greece, Turkey and Portugal?
NATO stayed out of the way; and they "consulted"
Article 4
The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of
them, the territorial integrity, political independence or ...
- 3,519
5
votes
Accepted
Why did England and Portugal cheap out on the Battle of Aljubarrota?
England had won its big battles against France in the Hundred Years' War (Crecy, Poitiers, Agincourt etc.), typically outnumbered 2 to 1 or even 3 to 1.
Likewise, Portugal had a lower population than ...
- 104k
5
votes
Why didn't King Ferdinand take over Portugal during the Spanish Reconquista?
The great reason is that after Granada fell, France was the great danger. Spain needed alliances to defy the big European kingdom. France´s king wanted to conquer Italy. The Kingdom of Naples was ...
4
votes
Did the Portuguese build any settlement around the Cape of Good Hope?
In addition to Tyler Durden's answer, which is right, I would like to note that when crossing from Atlantic to Indian Ocean, ships sail far away from the coast, which is dangerous. Therefore, the area ...
- 3,629
4
votes
Why didn't King Ferdinand take over Portugal during the Spanish Reconquista?
He (they) tried somehow, but it didn't work due of a handful of unfortunate deaths.
Ferdinand and Isabella didn't try to invade Portugal - and other answers explain quite well why it would have been ...
- 3,629
4
votes
Why did England and Portugal cheap out on the Battle of Aljubarrota?
This article notes that most of the Portuguese nobility actually sided with King Juan I of Castile. (Juan had married the daughter of King Fernao of Portugal; when Fernao died without a son, Juan ...
- 2,203
4
votes
Why didn't the Christian kingdoms in Hispania participate in the crusades?
There wasn't much Spain to speak of until later, and the Spaniards were already crusading in Spain before, during, and after what's usually referred to as the Crusades:
(gif via http://www....
- 23.2k
4
votes
How often was bread made at home? Daily? Weekly?
Most preindustrial sources will emphasize that most lower-class people got their calories largely from grains because meat and other supplements were expensive, so you'd need a LOT more bread to feed ...
- 464
4
votes
Why didn't Spain and Portugal become industrial powerhouses in the 20th century?
Because they were dictatorships
Both of those countries were repressive dictatorships until quite recently. 1976 in Portugal's case, and Spain redemocratized during 1975-78. That's recent enough that ...
- 118k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible