Portugal

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic Portuguese: República Portuguesa is a country in Southern Europe, member of the European Union, located west of the Iberian peninsula. This country is the westernmost of continental Europe, is bounded on the north and east by Spain and south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes the Azores and Madeira, located in the northern hemisphere of the Atlantic Ocean.

Founded in the twelfth century, the Kingdom of Portugal in the fifteenth century is the century one of the major powers of Western Europe, playing a major role in the Great Discoveries and carving out a vast colonial empire in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and in South America. The power of the country declined from the seventeenth century. The Portuguese monarchy was overthrown in 1910, after a military uprising that forced King Manuel II into exile. First Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: Primeira República) is the political regime in Portugal between the end of the constitutional monarchy marked by the revolution of October 5, 1910 and the military coup of May 28, 1926 Then, for more than forty years, the country is subject to the authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, until the Carnation Revolution of 1974, which ended the Salazar dictatorship and reinstalls democracy in the country.

Portugal becomes the late twentieth century a developed country, economically prosperous, socially and politically stable. Founding of NATO in 1949 and the OECD member in 1948, he is also a member of the UN since 1955, the Council of Europe since 1976, the European Union since 1986 and the Schengen area . Finally, it is one of the founders of the euro area countries in 1999 In 2011, the global economic downturn led Portugal to the recession and causes socio-economic and political crisis.

Ally of the United States, Portugal also has important bilateral relations with Morocco, Brazil, Spain and France are four privilégiés8 partners.

In a country that has experienced dictatorship from 1926 to 1974, the economy has taken off only in 1975, causing nearly a million and a half Portuguese to go to work outside the country to escape poverty and colonial wars. The "high immigration areas" are Brazil, France9, Luxembourg (14.1% of the total population), 10 Switzerland11, the United States, Argentina, Venezuela, Canada12 and the Principality of Andorra (where 15.75% of the population is Portuguese) 13 and various other countries. Currently, the Portuguese diaspora is one of the main European and global diasporas.

Tourism, mainly beach, is a very important resource, especially in the Algarve and the Lisbon area that make Portugal one of the most visited countries in the world with over 25 million tourists each year. Portugal is also a great wine country, particularly known for port wine. Portugal is also the world's largest producer of cork.

The capital, Lisbon hosted the World Exposition on the theme of oceans 199814. Portugal was a candidate to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games through the cities of Porto and Lisbon. He was also a candidate, along with Spain, the organization of the World Cup football in 2018 after having hosted the European Championship in 200415

Traditionally, the Reconquista of the Iberian peninsula begins with the Battle of Covadonga (either 718 or 722), in which the Visigoth elite, Pelagius, defeated a Muslim army and established his authority over the régioLe August 4, 1578, the Battle of 'Alcacer-Quibir turns to carnage, with thousands dead and many prisoners. One hundred survivors return to Lisbon. The king is dead and his body is not found. It is a military, economic and political disaster: the defeat marked the end of the Aviz dynasty and a glorious era, sung in the Lusiades by poet Luís de Camões, also disappeared at that time. Four centuries of hard-won independence are then challenged cause32.

Besides the political and economic crisis is a moral crisis facing the country: a Crown debt, thousands of dead and prisoners who have to pay the ransom undermine the country. It is in this atmosphere that will arise and prosper many prophecies referring to the return of the young king, the Sebastianism. No less than four impostors try to impersonate the king during this period, the latter, an Italian, was hanged in 161933. The old Cardinal Henry, youngest son of Manuel I, ascended the throne August 28, 1578. It is charged with finding a successor. Many suitors exist which Philip II of Spain, who appears as the only one capable of ensuring the conservation of the Portuguese Empire. This solution is favored by the nobility and clergy. The people, he promotes Portuguese (Dom Anthony, Prior of Crato) but Cortes unable to decide. The big bourgeoisie looks the Spanish side for economic reasons. She intends to take advantage of deals offered by Spain and colonies34.

Henry I died without the tie. Philip won with a show of force against the Prior of Crato in the Battle of Alcantara (25 August 1580). This marks the end of the dynasty of Aviz and the beginning of the Habsburg. On the occasion of the holding of Cortes [What?] Tomar (1581), King Philip II plays to appease his forgiveness to the support of the prior of Crato and compliance with all laws and Portuguese customs; the exploitation of the colonies and the administration of the country remain the exclusive domain of the Portuguese. Portugal is now part of the Spanish Crown but retains some autonomy. He finds some economic stability but lost positions in favor of Holland and France. [Ref. needed] The conflict between Spain and England (1588), which leads to the episode of the Invincible Armada, overcomes the rest of the fleet portugaise34. The first snags arise at the end of the reign of Philip II and continued with his successor, Philip III, who is not interested in Portugal and the administration in general. He delegates authority to the viceroy that seeks to centralize power and to question the independence of Portugal. The new king went unpopular tax increases, displaying a certain tolerance for new Christians and signing a truce with Holland who took the opportunity to consolidate its position in the Portuguese colonies.

A new legal code was introduced: Orders Philippines (1603). Philip IV violates agreements on autonomy of the country and even heavier tax burden. Violence erupts. Faced with competition from English and Dutch, the Portuguese places fall one by one: Hormuz in 1622, Bahia in 1624, Arguin in 1633, São Jorge da Mina 163734. therefore revolves Portugal to Brazil already threatened by the Dutch and the French. Spain becomes the cause of all the ills of the country. Of revolts and national unity reinforced fate. Opponents argue Duke John of Braganza, they seize the royal palace in Lisbon on 1 December 1640, the 15th of the same month, John became King of Portugal under the name John IV34.

n in the north of the peninsula, the Kingdom of Asturias.

In 1139, after a brilliant victory at the Battle of Ourique against Muslims, Afonso Henriques is proclaimed the first king of Portugal by his troops. The first documents that date back to King Alfonso is called, specifically, from 1139 to 1140. Before his title was princeps (prince).

After several campaigns, supported by the Templars and Crusaders Recapture continues until the Arabs are permanently expelled. The Catholic Inquisition, consisting originally to persecute and burn [ref. desired] all Muslims, played a major role in this act. The repopulation of the northern and southern Asturias continues.

In the year 1449, the Catholic Monarchs complete the final reconquest of Portugal, with the capture of Faro by Alfonso III. After the expulsion of the Arabs, the Iberian peninsula is experiencing a homogenization Religious, Cultural and Ethnic.

The reconquest completed, will open the period of the conquest and the Age of Discovery.