Beginning in the 15th century Portugal built a maritime network of fortified trading posts, colonies and sea routes that together formed the first truly global European empire in modern history, linking Africa, Asia and South America and pioneering long‑distance oceanic navigation and global trade.
Drivers of expansion
State sponsorship, advances in ship design and navigation, and figures such as Prince Henry the Navigator propelled Portuguese voyages down the West African coast and beyond, motivated by a search for gold, spice routes and direct access to Asian markets.
Geographic reach
From the early capture of Ceuta in 1415 to Vasco da Gama’s sea route to India and Pedro Álvares Cabral’s arrival in Brazil, Portugal established a global presence that included coastal forts in Africa, trading posts and colonies in Asia and a major territorial colony in South America.
Methods and imperial model
Rather than relying solely on large settler populations, the Portuguese often built a chain of fortified entrepôts and maritime trade links that controlled key sea lanes and goods, creating an empire organised around navigation, commerce and naval power.
Legacy
The Portuguese empire shaped global exchange of goods, peoples, languages and ideas, spreading the Portuguese language and Catholicism and leaving institutional and cultural legacies that persist across former colonies and international trade networks.
Quick related facts
- Era: 15th century onwards.
- Early milestones: Ceuta 1415; sea route to India 1498; Brazil discovered 1500.
- Model: coastal forts; trading posts; maritime trade network.