First published 2021
Roger Crowley chronicles how Portugal built the world's first global empire through maritime exploration and conquest. In 1483, Portuguese mariners erected a stone pillar on what would become the Angolan coast, marking the culmination of decades of expeditions to map Africa's boundaries. The Portuguese sought a direct sea route to India, aiming to dominate Indian Ocean trade and challenge Islamic commercial power. Crowley traces the bloody conflicts between Portuguese explorers and the peoples they encountered, following legendary figures like Vasco da Gama, Cabral, and Alfonso de Albuquerque through their schemes and adventures. Epic land and sea battles erupted between Africans, Asians, and Europeans as Portugal pursued its ambitions. The narrative captures an era defined by courage, greed, diplomatic maneuvering, and espionage, showing how one of Europe's smallest nations launched one of history's most ambitious adventures.
Genres: history, historical-fiction, adventure, non-fiction
Vibes: epic, thought-provoking
Tropes: adventure, epic
Setting: Africa, Angola, India, Portugal
Period: 1483, 15th-century
432 pages · Paperback · Ático de los Libros
Content warnings: colonialism, violence