Sofala [suˈfalɐ] , at present known as Nova Sofala [ˈnovɐ suˈfalɐ] , used to be the chief seaport of the Mwenemutapa Kingdom, whose capital was at Mount Fura . It is located on the Sofala Bank in Sofala Province of Mozambique . The first recorded use of this port town was by Mogadishan merchants. One possible etymology for Sofala is "go and cultivate" in the Somali language , showing the city as a hub for gold.
65-531: One of the oldest harbours documented in Southern Africa , medieval Sofala was erected on the edge of a wide estuary formed by the Buzi River (called Rio de Sofala in older maps). The Buzi River connected Sofala to the internal market town of Manica , and from there to the gold fields of Great Zimbabwe . Sometime in the 10th century, Sofala emerged as a small trading post and was incorporated into
130-637: A disappointment. The old gold fields were largely exhausted by the time the Portuguese arrived, and gold production had moved further north. Market towns were erected on the Zambezi escarpment, to which Sofala was less convenient as an outlet than the rising new towns of Quelimane and Angoche . The shifting sands and boundaries of the Buzi estuary have since allowed the sea to reclaim much of old Sofala. There are very few ruins in modern New Sofala to suggest
195-633: A merging of populations in East and South Africa . Homo naledi likely coexisted with modern humans in Africa about 300,000 years ago. The Kingdom of Mapungubwe (c. 1075–c. 1220) was one of the earliest state in the South African region. It was located at between the Shashe and Limpopo Rivers. The name is derived from either TjiKalanga and Tshivenda . The kingdom is thought to have existed as
260-684: A month later and no other monarchist counterrevolution in Portugal has happened since. After the republican revolution in October 1910, the remaining colonies of the empire became overseas provinces of the Portuguese Republic until the late 20th century, when the last overseas territories of Portugal were handed over. Most notably in Portuguese Africa which included the overseas provinces of Angola and Mozambique of which
325-401: A robust mining sector and comparatively developed secondary and tertiary sectors . Additionally many countries (with the exception of Mozambique and Malawi in particular) have relatively well developed infrastructure. Some of its main exports including platinum , diamonds , gold , copper , cobalt , chromium and uranium , Southern Africa still faces some of the problems that the rest of
390-407: A small population of European ( Afrikaner , British , Portuguese Africans , etc.) and Asian descent ( Cape Malays , Indian South Africans , etc.) people in many southern African countries. Further information in the sections of Architecture of Africa : Further information in the sections of History of science and technology in Africa : Some key factors affecting the food security within
455-505: Is a major food producer and exporter in the region. Data on agricultural production trends and food insecurity especially in term of food availability for Southern Africa is readily available through the Famine Early Warning Systems Network ( FEWS NET ) and Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) - Food, Agriculture and Nature Resource Directorate (FARN). However, this data might not fully capture
520-462: Is only limited data on the other Southern African countries. From 2018 to 2021, parts of the region suffered from a period of drought . Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic . Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal and
585-560: Is set apart from other Sub-Saharan African regions because of its mineral resources, including copper, diamonds, gold, zinc, chromium, platinum, manganese, iron ore, and coal. Countries in Southern Africa are larger in geographic area, except three smaller landlocked states: Lesotho, Swaziland, and Malawi. The larger states- South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and Angola—all have extensive mineral deposits. These widespread mineral resources make this one of
650-569: Is the dominant economy of the region. Generally, mining, agriculture, the public sector and tourism dominate the economies of Southern African countries, apart from South Africa which has mature and flourishing financial, retail, and construction sectors. Zimbabwe maintains a smaller banking and real estate sector along with what remains of its manufacturing industry, despite a protracted economic crisis . Most global banks have their regional offices for Southern Africa based in Johannesburg . Over
715-602: The Bushveld basin into South Africa. This extends southwest through the Witwatersrand and Northern Cape of South Africa toward the southern coast. Mining activity exists across the eastern region. Diamond mining is found in parts of Botswana and along the Namibian coast. Coal can also be found in central Mozambique, Zimbabwe and northeast South Africa. The climate of the region is broadly divided into subtropical in
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#1732766208508780-595: The County of Portugal (1096–1139). The Portuguese County was a semi-autonomous county of the Kingdom of León . Independence from León took place in three stages: Once Portugal was independent, D. Afonso I's descendants, members of the Portuguese House of Burgundy , would rule Portugal until 1383. Even after the change in royal houses, all the monarchs of Portugal were descended from Afonso I, one way or another, through both legitimate and illegitimate links. With
845-579: The Kilwa Sultanate and the Swahili cultural sphere. The Swahili strengthened its trading capacity by having, among other things, rivergoing dhows ply the Buzi and Save rivers to ferry the gold extracted in the hinterlands to the coast. Sofala's subsequent position as the principal entrepot of the Mwenemutapa gold trade prompted Portuguese chronicler Thomé Lopes to identify Sofala with
910-595: The Kingdom of León in 1097, and the Counts of Portugal established themselves as rulers of an independent kingdom in the 12th century, following the battle of São Mamede . The kingdom was ruled by the Afonsine Dynasty until the 1383–85 Crisis , after which the monarchy passed to the House of Aviz . During the 15th and 16th century, Portuguese exploration established a vast colonial empire . From 1580 to 1640,
975-627: The Swahili community paying tribute for permission to reside and trade there. The Sultan of Kilwa had jurisdiction only over the Swahili residents, and his governor was more akin to a consul than a ruler. The city retained a great degree of autonomy, and could be quite prickly should the Sultan of Kilwa try to interfere in its affairs. Sofala was easily the most dominant coastal city south of Kilwa itself. Portuguese explorer and spy Pêro da Covilhã , travelling overland disguised as an Arab merchant,
1040-910: The Terreiro do Paço , in Lisbon . With the death of the King and his heir, Charles I's second son would become monarch as King Manuel II . Manuel's reign, however, would be short-lived, ending by force with the 5 October 1910 revolution , sending Manuel into exile in the United Kingdom and giving way to the Portuguese First Republic . On 19 January 1919, the Monarchy of the North was proclaimed in Oporto . The monarchy would be deposed
1105-525: The colonial territories led to the independence of new states of Angola and Mozambique as well as Southern Rhodesia , which declared independence as Zimbabwe in 1980. The denouement of South West Africa achieved independence as Namibia in 1990 and the black majority in South Africa took power after the democratic elections in 1994 , therefore ending the Apartheid regime. From the end of
1170-670: The 1820s between Shaka's half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana due to a succession dispute. Boer settlers began arriving northwards of the Orange River in the 1830s, which led to conflicts between the two peoples and resulted in the Battle of Blood River in 1838. The kingdom fell during the Anglo-Zulu War of the late 19th-century. In the aftermath of World War II , the colonial powers came under international pressure to decolonize. The transfer to an African majority, however,
1235-454: The 1990s these industries have struggled in the face of globalization and cheaper imports from China , leading to job losses particularly in heavy industry , gold mining and textiles . Zimbabwe in particular has seen significant deindustrialization as a result of factors both domestic and foreign. While colonialism has left its mark on the development over the course of history, today poverty , corruption , and HIV / AIDS are some of
1300-646: The Algarves after 1415, and as the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves between 1815 and 1822. The name is also often applied to the Portuguese Empire , the realm's overseas colonies. The nucleus of the Portuguese state was the County of Portugal , established in the 9th century as part of the Reconquista , by Vímara Peres , a vassal of the King of Asturias . The county became part of
1365-837: The Indian Ocean (as a part of the French Southern Territories ), Zambia, and Zimbabwe in Eastern Africa , Angola in Middle Africa (or Central Africa), and Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha (under the name Saint Helena) in Western Africa , instead. Some atlases include Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in Central Africa instead of Southern or Eastern Africa. The Southern African Customs Union , created in 1969, also comprises
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#17327662085081430-807: The June–August rainfall maximum in the western cape. Year-to-year variability in rainfall, including drought, is associated with changes in global and regional sea surface temperatures . These include the El Nino Southern Oscillation , the Subtropical Indian Ocean Dipole , and changes in the Benguela Current region in the southeast Atlantic. Future climate projections suggest that much of southern Africa will get hotter and drier in response to global climate change. East and southern Africa are among
1495-584: The Kingdom of Portugal was in personal union with Habsburg Spain . After the Portuguese Restoration War of 1640–1668, the kingdom passed to the House of Braganza and thereafter to the House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha . From this time, the influence of Portugal declined, but it remained a major power due to its most valuable colony, Brazil . After the independence of Brazil , Portugal sought to establish itself in Africa , but
1560-522: The SADC members. The terrain of Southern Africa is varied, ranging from forest and grasslands to deserts . The region has both low-lying coastal areas, and mountains. In terms of natural resources, the region has the world's largest resources of platinum and the platinum group elements, chromium , vanadium , and cobalt , as well as uranium , gold , copper , titanium , iron , manganese , silver , beryllium , and diamonds . Southern Africa
1625-766: The SADC region and ensures sustainable energy developments through sound economic, environmental and social practices. The main objective of the power pool is to develop a world class, robust and safe interconnected electrical system across the Southern African Region. According to a report by Southern Africa Power Pool, the three largest producers of electricity in Southern Africa as at 2017, include Eskom in South Africa with an estimated 46,963MW, Zesco in Zambia with 2,877MW and SNL of Angola with 2,442MW. Whilst moderately successful by African standards,
1690-714: The South African border. There are numerous environmental issues in Southern Africa , including air pollution and desertification . Southern Africa is home to many people. It was initially populated by San , Hottentots and Pygmies in widely dispersed concentrations. Due to the Bantu expansion , the majority of African ethnic groups in this region, including the Xhosa , Zulu , Tsonga , Swazi , Northern Ndebele , Southern Ndebele , Tswana , Sotho , Pedi , Mbundu , Ovimbundu , Shona , Chaga and Sukuma , speak Bantu languages . The process of colonization and settling resulted in
1755-681: The Southern African Subregion . It is not used in political, economic, or human geography contexts because the definition cuts Mozambique in two. In the United Nations geoscheme for Africa, five states constitute Southern Africa: This definition excludes other countries in the region, and instead includes the Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Réunion, the Scattered Islands in
1820-596: The Western Cape in South Africa, the major rainfall season is during the southern-hemisphere summer, from December to February. In the Western Cape , the rainfall maximum occurs from June through August. There are a number of important rainfall-producing weather systems in southern Africa. These include tropical-extra-tropical cloud bands, tropical lows, and tropical cyclones , cut-off lows , and mesoscale convective systems . Winter midlatitude storms account for
1885-520: The Zambezi and Limpopo river valleys, probably due to the lower altitude. The Western Cape has a Mediterranean vegetation and climate, including the unique fynbos , grading eastward into an oceanic climate along the Garden Route to Gqeberha and East London . The Namib and Kalahari deserts form arid lands in the centre-west, separating the highlands, woodlands, croplands, and pastures of
1950-526: The biblical Ophir and its ancient rulers with the dynasty of the Queen of Sheba . Alternately, in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, Augustus Henry Keane argued that Sofala was the Biblical Tarshish . Since the early 20th century, both notions have been discarded. Although the revenues from Sofala's gold trade proved a windfall for the sultans of Kilwa and allowed them to finance
2015-491: The biggest factors impeding economic growth. In addition, South Africa and Zimbabwe in particular, face high emigration among their skilled workers leading to a significant brain drain to western economies and billions lost in human capital flight . The pursuit of economic and political stability is an important part of the region's goals, as demonstrated by the SADC, however complete regional integration remains an elusive target. In terms of economic strength, South Africa
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2080-444: The continent does. Despite this, diamond production has fueled the economies of Botswana and Namibia, for example. Over the 20th century, the region developed a robust manufacturing sector, focused on South Africa and Zimbabwe, which allowed greater prosperity and investments into infrastructure, education and healthcare that elevated both nations into middle income economies and captured growing markets across Africa. However, since
2145-414: The earliest regions where modern humans (Homo sapiens) and their predecessors are believed to have lived. In September 2019, scientists reported the computerized determination, based on 260 CT scans , of a virtual skull shape of the last common human ancestor to modern humans , representative of the earliest modern humans, and suggested that modern humans arose between 350,000 and 260,000 years ago through
2210-600: The expansion of supermarkets in the region, which is changing the way people obtain food in the city, rural-to-urban migration, unemployment, and poverty. The issue of food insecurity in general and urban food insecurity in particular in the region is also characterized by an increased consumption of caloric junk food and processed foods leading to potential increase in the co-existence of undernutrition and dietary-related chronic diseases such as obesity and hypertension. In South Africa for example, while over 50% experience hunger, 61% are overweight or morbidly obese. There
2275-526: The expansion of the Swahili commercial empire all along the East African coast, Sofala was not a mere subsidiary or outpost of Kilwa, but a leading town in its own right, with its own internal elite, merchant communities, trade connections and settlements as far south as Cape Correntes (and some across the channel in Madagascar ). Formally, Sofala continued to belong to the Kingdom of Mwenemutapa ,
2340-433: The first class-based social system within the region. Society was mainly centered around family and farming. The kingdom would culminate to the Kingdom of Zimbabwe in the 13th century. And at its height the capital's population was about 5000 people. There are no written records from the kingdom and what historians and archeologists know of the state is from the remains of buildings. The Kingdom of Zimbabwe (c. 1220–1450)
2405-797: The five states in the UN subregion of Southern Africa. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established in 1980 to facilitate co-operation in the region. It includes: Other than the UN subregion, these countries and territories are often included in Southern Africa: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is generally included in Central Africa, while Seychelles and Tanzania are more commonly associated with Eastern Africa, but these three countries have occasionally been included in Southern Africa, as they are
2470-653: The geographical delineation for the subregion is the portion of Africa south of the Cunene and Zambezi Rivers: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the part of Mozambique that lies south of the Zambezi River. That definition is most often used in South Africa for natural sciences and particularly in guidebooks such as Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa , the Southern African Bird Atlas Project , and Mammals of
2535-522: The greater global Indian Ocean trade network. It is stated that the first inhabitants of Sofala out of the East African coast came from Mogadishu, and that they were in search of gold. Merchants from the Sultanate of Mogadishu had long kept Sofala a secret from their Kilwan rivals, who up until then rarely sailed beyond Cape Delgado . In the 1180s, Sultan Suleiman Hassan of Kilwa (in present-day Tanzania ) seized control of Sofala, and brought Sofala into
2600-493: The island of Mozambique . Gradually, much of the Sofala garrison, officers and operations were transferred to the island, reducing Fort Sofala to a mere outpost. Nonetheless, colonial governors of Portuguese Mozambique would continue to bear 'Captain of Sofala' as their primary official title. If not for its gold trade, Sofala would likely have been avoided by both the Swahili and the Portuguese. The entrance to Sofala estuary
2665-402: The key. At any rate, the elderly sheikh Isuf realized it would be better to make allies rather than enemies out of them, and agreed to a commercial and alliance treaty with the Kingdom of Portugal . This was followed upon in 1505 when Pêro de Anaia (part of the 7th Armada ) was granted permission by sheikh Isuf to erect a factory and fortress near the city. Fort São Caetano of Sofala was
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2730-515: The middle of the region, dividing it into its subtropical and temperate halves. Countries commonly included in Southern Africa include Angola , Botswana , the Comoros , Eswatini , Lesotho , Madagascar , Malawi , Mauritius , Mozambique , Namibia , South Africa , Zambia , and Zimbabwe . In cultural geography , the island country of Madagascar is often not included due to its distinct language and cultural heritage. In physical geography ,
2795-439: The north and temperate in the south, but also includes humid-subtropical , Mediterranean-climate , highland-subtropical , oceanic, desert, and semi-arid regions. Except for lower parts of Zambia and interior areas of Namibia and Botswana, the region rarely suffers from extreme heat. In addition, the winter presents mostly as mild and dry, except in the southwest. Cool southeasterly winds and high humidity bring cool conditions in
2860-539: The northwest corner of Zambia and western Angola to the Indian Ocean on the coast of Mozambique . Along the way, it flows over Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe . Victoria Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world and a major tourist attraction for the region. Southern Africa includes both subtropical and temperate climates, with the Tropic of Capricorn running through
2925-573: The other in the south ( Kingdom of Butua from 1450–1683) which was a smaller entity than the former two, the kingdom was governed by the Torwa dynasty and its capital was situated at Khami . Both states would eventually be absorbed by the powerful Shona state, the Rozwi Empire by 1683. The economy was based on cattle herding, farming, and gold mining. The empire lasted until 1866, which came after droughts and instability. The Mthethwa Paramountcy
2990-408: The period of colonial rule, imperial interests controlled the economies of the region and South Africa became the dominant economic power in the late 20th century. The 21st century has seen attempts to create unity among nations in Southern Africa. In spite of democracy, violence , inequality and poverty still persist throughout the region. The region is distinct from the rest of Africa, with
3055-782: The reality of a region with large urban populations and where food insecurity goes beyond per-capita availability to issues of access and dietary adequacy. Urban food security has been noted as an emerging area of concern in the region, with recent data showing high levels of food insecurity amongst low-income households. In a study of eleven cities in nine countries: Blantyre , Cape Town , Gaborone , Harare , Johannesburg , Lusaka , Maputo , Manzini , Maseru , Durban , and Windhoek , only 17% of households were categorized as 'food-secure' while more than half (57%) of all households surveyed were found to be 'severely food-insecure'. Some factors affecting urban food insecurity include climate change with potential impact on agricultural productivity,
3120-679: The region largely lags behind their Asian counterparts in innovation, foreign direct investment, STEM sciences and research and development . Southern Africa has a wide diversity of ecoregions including grassland , bushveld , karoo , savannah and riparian zones . Even though considerable disturbance has occurred in some regions from habitat loss due to human population density or export-focused development, there remain significant numbers of various wildlife species, including white rhino , lion , African leopard , impala , kudu , blue wildebeest , vervet monkey and elephant . It has complex Plateaus that create massive mountain structures along
3185-875: The regions including political instability, poor governance, droughts, population growth, urbanisation, poverty, low economic growth, inadequate agricultural policies, trade terms and regimes, resource degradation and the recent increase in HIV/AIDS . These factors vary from country to country. For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has favourable climatic and physical conditions, but performs far below its capacity in food provision due to political instability and poor governance. In contrast, semi-arid countries such as Botswana and Namibia, produce insufficient food, but successfully achieve food security through food imports due to economic growth, political stability and good governance. The Republic of South Africa
3250-566: The ruling sheikh Isuf of Sofala ( Yçuf in Barros Çufe in Goes ). At the time, Isuf was engaged in a quarrel with Kilwa . The minister Emir Ibrahim had deposed and murdered the legitimate Sultan al-Fudail of Kilwa, and seized power for himself. Isuf of Sofala refused to recognize the usurper and was looking for a way to shake off Kilwa's lordship and chart an independent course for Sofala. The Portuguese, with their powerful ships, seemed to provide
3315-498: The second Portuguese fort in East Africa (the first, at Kilwa , was built only a few months earlier). Anaia used stone imported for the purpose from Europe. (It was subsequently reused for construction of Beira 's cathedral .) The Portuguese fort did not last very long. Much of the garrison was quickly decimated by fevers (probably malaria ). In late 1507, the new Portuguese captain of Sofala, Vasco Gomes de Abreu , captured
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#17327662085083380-560: The southernmost region of Africa . No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme , the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community , and the physical geography definition based on the physical characteristics of the land. Defined by physical geography , Southern Africa is home to a number of river systems; the Zambezi River is the most prominent. The Zambezi flows from
3445-684: The start of the 20th century, Republicanism grew in numbers and support in Lisbon among progressive politicians and the influential press. However a minority with regard to the rest of the country, this height of republicanism would benefit politically from the Lisbon Regicide on 1 February 1908. While returning from the Ducal Palace at Vila Viçosa , King Charles and the Prince Royal Luís Filipe were assassinated in
3510-481: The town's former grandeur and wealth. In its heyday, the town of Sofala itself was formed by two towns, one close to the water on a sand flat, the other on higher and healthier ground. The Sofalese also had a satellite settlement to the north at the mouth of the Pungwe River called Rio de São Vicente in old maps. As grand old Sofala sank into the ocean, modern Beira was erected on the site of that outpost. Sofala lost its remaining commercial preeminence once Beira
3575-422: The wealthiest regions of Africa with the greatest potential for economic growth . A chain of mineral resources in Southern Africa stretches from the rich oil fields in northwest Angola, east through the central diamond-mining region in Huambo Province , and into the Copper Belt region of Zambia and Congo. A region of rich mineral deposits continues to the south called the Great Dyke in central Zimbabwe, through
3640-489: The wetter and higher East from the Atlantic Ocean . In addition, the Drakensberg and Eastern Highlands separate the highland areas and coastal plains centred on Mozambique in the north and KwaZulu-Natal in the south, the latter of which are often prone to flooding every few years. In the east, the river systems of the Zambezi and Limpopo basin form natural barriers and sea lanes between Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Across most of southern Africa, apart from
3705-434: The winter. The Namib Desert is the driest area in the region. Altitude plays an outsize role in moderating the temperatures of the South African Highveld , Lesotho , and much of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The prairie region of central and northeast South Africa, the country of Zimbabwe, and parts of Zambia are known as the veldt , divided into the Bushveld and Highveld . There are high temperatures and low rainfall within
3770-424: The years, some the other Southern African nations have invested in economic diversification, and invested public funds into rail, road and air transportation as part of a concerted effort through SADC to boost regional trade and improve communication and transportation. The countries in this region also belong to the Southern Africa Power Pool, which facilitates the development of a competitive electricity market within
3835-466: Was a Shona ( Karanga ) kingdom in what is today Zimbabwe . The capital, which sits near present-day Masvingo , is located at Great Zimbabwe , which are the largest stone structure in precolonial Southern Africa. This kingdom came after the collapse of the Kingdom of Mapungubwe. During the decline of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, two powers emerged, one in the north ( Kingdom of Mutapa from 1430–1760) which had improved on Zimbabwe's administrative structure; and
3900-415: Was an African state that emerged in the late 18th-century in the region of present-day KwaZulu-Natal . The state was consolidated and extended under the rule of Dingiswayo who produced a disciplined and highly organised army for the first time in the region. The Zulu Kingdom rose under the leadership of Shaka and covered most of present-day KwaZulu-Natal in the 19th century. Internal conflict arose in
3965-444: Was blocked by a long moving sand bank, which was followed by hazardous shoals , allowing boats to approach safely only at high tide. The shores of Sofala were a mangrove swamp , replete with stagnant waters and malarial mosquitos. As a harbor, it was less than suitable for Portuguese ships, which is why the Portuguese were quick to seize Mozambique Island in 1507, and make that their preferred harbor. The gold trade also proved to be
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#17327662085084030-438: Was complicated by the settlement of white peoples . After an initial phase from 1945 to 1958, as a consolidation of white power, decolonization succeeded in its achievement when High Commission territories and overseas departments such as Zambia , Malawi , Botswana , Lesotho , Mauritius , Swaziland , Madagascar and the Comoros became independent states from British and French rule. The brutal struggle for independence in
4095-399: Was established 32 kilometres (20 mi) to the north in 1890. The harbour was once reputed to be capable of holding a hundred vessels, but has since silted up due to deforestation of the banks of the river and deposition of topsoil in the harbour. 20°09′S 34°43′E / 20.150°S 34.717°E / -20.150; 34.717 Southern Africa Southern Africa is
4160-483: Was the first European known to have visited Sofala in 1489. His secret report to Lisbon identified Sofala's role as a gold emporium (although by this time, the gold trade was quite diminished from its heyday). In 1501 Sofala was scouted from the sea and its location determined by captain Sancho de Tovar . In 1502, Pedro Afonso de Aguiar (others say Vasco da Gama himself) led the first Portuguese ships into Sofala harbor. Aguiar (or Gama) sought out an audience with
4225-479: Was ultimately forced to halt its expansion due to the 1890 British Ultimatum , eventually leading to the collapse of the monarchy in the 5 October 1910 revolution and the establishment of the First Portuguese Republic . Portugal was an absolute monarchy before 1822. It alternated between absolute and semi-constitutional monarchy from 1822 until 1834, when it would remain a semi-constitutional monarchy until its fall. The Kingdom of Portugal finds its origins in
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