The Portuguese Empire and Its Territories in the 15th-19th Centuries

Charles Boxer, a professor at Yale University and author of a number of historical works, presents the history of the Portuguese Empire, emphasizing that it was the Portuguese who led the first maritime expeditions of the Europeans. The Spaniards, Dutch, English, and French who followed the pioneers greatly benefited from their valuable experience. This applied to both the art of navigation and the skills of communicating with peoples of different faiths and skin colors. The author analyzes how successfully the Portuguese transferred their core administrative institutions to a new exotic environment and adapted them to new conditions. The author also notes the interconnections between the scattered possessions of the empire in different parts of the world and Portugal itself, located at the westernmost tip of Europe.