Early Days

A statue of the D. Fernando, the 2nd Duke of Braganca at Braganca.

Corbis

9th–6th centuries BC

Phoenician and Greek traders establish settlements.

5th century BC

Carthaginians in control of the Iberian peninsula.

130 BC

Roman conquest.

4th century AD

Christianity spreads.

AD 419

The Germanic Suevi arrive; vanquished by the Visigoths over the next 50 years.

711

African Moors occupy Iberia.

718

Victory by the Christians over the Moors at Covadonga starts the reconquest.

11th–12th centuries

A complex round of civil wars between Henri of Burgundy and his cousin Raymond.

Reconquest and Nationhood

1143

Afonso Henriques is declared first king of Portugal, but is not recognised by Pope Lucius II.

1147

Henriques captures Lisbon.

1179

Afonso Henriques is finally recognised by Pope Alexander III as king.

1249

Moors expelled from Algarve.

1260

Afonso III transfers capital from Coimbra to Lisbon.

1279–1325

Reign of King Dinis.

1297

Treaty of Alcañices establishes Portugal’s borders.

1348

Plague ravages Lisbon.

1373

First Anglo-Portuguese Alliance signed.

1385

Defeat of Castilians. João I becomes king, commencing the House of Avis.

The Age of Discoveries

Medieval map of Portugal.

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1415

Ceuta, North Africa, is taken by Portuguese force. Madeira discovered.

1427

Azores discovered.

1434

Gil Eanes discovers parts of West Africa.

1481

João II ascends the throne.

1487

Bartolomeu Dias rounds Cape of Good Hope.

1492

Around 60,000 Jews expelled from Spain flee to Portugal.

1494

Treaty of Tordesillas: Portugal and Spain divide up New World.

1497–98

Explorer Vasco da Gama opens a sea route to India.

1500

Pedro Alvares Cabral discovers Brazil.

1510

Conquest of Goa.

1519–22

Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigates the globe.

1536

Holy Inquisition is introduced.

1557

Trading post opens in Macau.

1580

Portugal falls under Spanish rule.

1640

Spanish overthrown; Duke of Bragança becomes João IV.

1668

Treaty of Lisbon; Spain recognises Portugal’s independence.

early 1700s

Gold is discovered in Brazil.

1755

The Great Earthquake devastates Lisbon.

1777

Maria I becomes queen.

1807

France invades; royal family leaves for Brazil.

1808

The Peninsular War. Portugal invokes the British Alliance.

1820

Liberal revolution.

1822

New liberal constitution ends the Inquisition. Brazil proclaims independence.

1829–34

Miguelist Wars between factions led by brothers Miguel and Pedro. The latter wins and becomes Pedro IV in 1834.

1834

Religious orders expelled from Portugal.

1834–1908

Rise of political parties, Septembrists (Liberals) and Chartists (Conservatives).

1908

King Carlos and crown prince are shot dead in Lisbon. Manuel II ascends the throne.

1910

Portugal becomes a republic; Manuel II exiled.

1910–26

Political turmoil, military coups and assassination.

Salazar and After

1926

Military coup overthrows democratic government and brings General Carmona to power.

1932

Salazar becomes PM and rules as dictator until 1968.

1939–1945

World War II: Portugal is neutral.

1955

Portugal allowed to join the UN.

1961

Angolan uprising brutally crushed. Goa lost to Indian control.

1970

Death of Salazar. Marcelo Caetano becomes prime minister.

1974

Young Captains’ Revolution restores democracy. Armed Forces Movement governs until 1976. African colonies granted independence.

1976

Socialist Mario Soares becomes prime minister.

1979

Coalition of the right in power.

1986

Portugal joins the European Economic Community (EEC).

1999

Macau reverts to Chinese control.

2002

Euro becomes official currency. Centre-right government elected.

2005

Socialists sweep to victory in general elections. Jose Sócrates sworn in as PM.

Portugal’s President Anibal Cavaco Silva.

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2006

Former Social Democrat PM Cavaco Silva elected president.

2011

EU and IMF supply a 78bn-euro loan package, conditional on reducing the public deficit.

2013

Portugal’s highest court strikes down some of the 2013 budget’s austerity measures.