The Portugese Empire: Colonization of Madeira

Madeira is a group of volcanic islands in the North Atlantic which were colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century (circa 1420). The word/name “Madeira” means the island of wood. They were uninhabited islands and they were discovered accidentally. But since they found it, they claimed it. “The Portuguese military order, the Order of Christ, whose head was Henry, was granted exclusive rights there.”

{The Order of Christ eh? I suppose it was a Divine blessing that the archipelago was uninhabited. Otherwise, the ones who decided that they were the “rightful owners” would have just killed the people who were living there or enslaved them. Of course, that's not written in the history books.}

Trading ships would stop there on their routes between Europe and the Americas. African slaves were brought there to work on the plantations. The region is famous for the fortified Madeira wine. Today it is an autonomous region of Portugal. Ships still stop there nowadays, but they are cruise ships instead of slave ships.

Learn more:

ThePortuguese Colonization of Madeira - World History Encyclopedia

REFERENCE: Cartwright, Mark. “The Portuguese Colonization of Madeira.” World History Encyclopedia, World History Encyclopedia Foundation, 30 May 2021, www.worldhistory.org/article/1756/the-portuguese-colonization-of-madeira/.

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