Portugal- an Empire Under the Sun

To Mecca... Through the Heart of Africa

Planning for Invasion

Yemen still holds power in the Arabian Peninsula. Though their power is already curbed by Portugal, they still hold lands in both African side of the Red Sea and on both West and East sides of the peninsula. Sebastião I was the last ruler to fight them from 1610-1612, making some gains, but fighting a long and too complicated war. Main reason- Ottomans were loyal allies of Yemen and came to the rescue, dragging the fight. João V faced the same problems.

Only, João V was better prepared. First, there were the Mamluks. staunch defenders of the Sunni faith. Now, thanks to the war with Swahili, the mighty Mameluk nation is happily in truce with the Portuguese and unable to intervene in the war. As for Ottomans, they were still loyal friends of Yemen.

Result: in 23rd February 1636, João V declared war on Mali. Something Portuguese have not done for hundred years or so, and something that filled the Portuguese coffers in the early days. The war goal was to take Bonny and Calabar, coastal provinces Mali had snaked from Hausa when they inherited the nation. The allies of Mali were Morocco and Yemen. Just what the good doctor ordered. Or two birds with one strike. João V rubbed his hands together as the Portuguese troops crossed the enemy borders.


Leaving Mameluks and Ottomans out of the war

Successful Start

Overall, Portugal had 60 000 soldiers fighting in the war. 20 000 of them near Moroccan border, 20 000 for Mali and 20 000 for Yemen. Almost simultaneously, all the armies crossed the borders and crushed their first enemy units. First big battle was fought in Casablanca, where Moroccan troops crossed the border and put their old city under siege. Portuguese army of 20 000 soldiers attacked a Moroccan army of 9000. Portuguese followed and soon, Moroccan army was no more. Portuguese started their sieges.


First proper battle of the war

Bonny fell in January 1637. Another Malinese province, Kumasi, a bit earlier. Meanwhile, a Malinese army of 17 000 soldiers was sieging Benin. João V ordered the two armies combined and for the first time in history of Portugal and Mali, it was a battle where Portugal had numerical superiority. The enemy was crushed and 600 Portuguese were lost- while 6000 Mailinese lost their lives.


First proper battle of the war

Half of the Portuguese were sent to siege Calabar, the other coastal Mali province, while another half followed the Mali. In April 1637, the Portuguese had once again reached Timbuktu, heart of the Sub-Saharan trade. There, the Portuguese met the retreating enemy in battle. Poor Malinese did not have a change. Their army was destroyed, survivors scattered and the once strong army of the Malinese was history. The army stayed in Timbuktu. In October 1637, the city fell. Portuguese army marched on towards the heart of Africa. In previous wars, Timbuktu was as far as the Portuguese went- but now, driven by curiosity, they marched on.


End of the first Malinese army

Calabar, the other coastal Mali province, fell in also in October 1637. Meaning now that another 17 000 Malinese soldiers currently sieging Bonny would be attacked soon. This army was different- 13 000 infantry and 4000 cannons. Still, they were no match whatsoever to Portuguese armies- the enemy was crushed, the Portuguese lost almost no soldiers at all and though the Malinese run for their lives, they were crushed in Battle of Bure, taking place in February 1638.


Second Malinese army destroyed

Forcing Morocco Out

Meanwhile, small Moroccan army had started siege of Rio de Oro. Portuguese did not bother to intervene, thinking that the enemy can do pretty much nothing. This time, they were wrong, for Moroccans managed to take advantage of outbreak of malaria, so common in this climate. Just 4000 Moroccans managed to take over Rio de Oro.

João V decided still not to react, but to continue with the sieges. Rightfully so- Sus fell in January, Marrakech in April 1638. This was also enough to force the Moroccans to give up. Peace was signed a few days after the fall of Marrakech, with Moroccans forced to end the trade embargo they had on Portugal and admit that Portuguese truly rock and that Moroccan buts were thoroughly kicked.


Morocco forced out

Two Portuguese armies marched south, to help against Mali. Now, there was 40 000 Portuguese against almost no Malinese.

Conquest of Mecca

The Portuguese continued the sieges of Yemen. Since the initial small battle, no Yemeni soldiers in sight. Two provinces had already fallen and in May 1638, Mecca fell. The other army was sieging Suhar, a province in a Gulf of Persia. That province fell in the end of May.

In February 1639, the Portuguese finished the siege of another Yemeni province and finally met the enemy in open battle. In Battle of Beni Yas, the Portuguese once again proved their superiority. The Portuguese killed over half of the Yemeni army and forced them to flee.


After the fall of Qawasim, Portuguese attacked the Yemeni army

Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, fell in May. With this, the Yemeni had had enough. In the beginning of June 1639, Portuguese signed the peace with Yemen. The result can only be described as total victory. First, the Portuguese gained Mecca, the most holy city of Muslims. Resulting in extra missionary and some bragging rights. Asir was just another province in Gulf of Aden- useful to have, but nothing special. As for Suhar, that was a special province. Suhar was the first Portuguese province in third trade node of India- Indus.


Conquest of Mecca and other valuable things

Heart of Africa

Meanwhile Mali was under total war from Portugal. Even more, Portuguese had invaded further then ever before, exploring and of course raiding Malinese villages in the process. Thus, the Portuguese discovered Lake Tchad in the middle of Africa and mapped the surrounding areas. With that, João V did not really see the point of continuing the war. In the end of the year 1639, the peace was signed between Mali and Portugal. Mali lost both of the coastal provinces and in addition, Futa Jallon, another gold-producing province.


Conquest of Mali- and notice that all of the nation is now discovered by Portugal

With that, the war was over. Total 6 provinces were gained over the course almost four years and as the result, Portugal fortified her position in Ivory Coast, gained first outpost in Indus and finally, conquered Mecca. Looks like João V really got things kicking now.

Other Matters

Siena, long-term Portuguese vassal, was finally integrated to the country in summer 1638. Now, Portugal has three provinces in central Italy. Expansion there is slow, but steady.


Siena annexed

Also, in the beginning of year 1638, Portuguese advanced diplomacy to level 19. It meant war galleons and frigates replacing galleons and early frigates. Also, with this, Portugal could now build an admiralty- and one was build in Coimbra as soon as possible. Now, João V had to take on a really annoying task- modernizing the Portuguese navy.


Ship replacement, here we come!

Now, that is what i'd call a successful war- without any big allies or other disturbing matters.
And ouch, the fact that i have to upgrade over 200 ships... it is now fun at all! But well worth the effort of course.

BogMod - overconfidence still. I wouldn't have done the same against European power, i underestimated the Mamluks and had to pay the price.

DensleyBlair - Well, would like me if i didn't get a comet about year after. And thus far, it is my biggest defeat- and defeat is never a good thing...

Nikolai - that's the general plan, yes!

Nikolai - Hehh, the poor buggers don't even get CB for me owning Mecca, i think

Chief Ragusa - It's not the time, it's the annoyance of upgrading. After all, i have to build 200+ ships, send them to their new location, remove old ones etc. And all the things mentioned are in the planning- only there is still the old problem- too many provinces to conquer, too little time.

Mkoll13 - Yeah, something in a scale Venice did with Crete, i think

First, an update about update. Since i'm having lot of "fun" at the work right now, i just don't have enough energy to make a proper update. And i don't want to write something written by hjarg the vegetable! But i have some interesting things coming. Just to give you a hint- Portuguese Armada! If all goes well, i'll be back in my (a bit) more human form in the middle of february. Until then- sorry and thank you for your patience.

DensleyBlair- oh yes, upgrading is always so much fun. Especially when you have 200+ ships. I wish Paradox would streamline this process too. And it seems like Mecca is just another province, only gives you prestige and extra missionary. No problem in coring it and turning it to proper Catholic province. I've even gone as far as built a cathedral in there!

Orlov Kruskayev- Welcome back! And Holy Land- sometimes, yes. Extra prestige and extra missionary once again, but that is something reserved to 18th century, i think.

Reforms

Colonial Reforms

It was in Summer of 1640 when João V decided that the colonial Empire of Portugal has grown too big to manage. Especially the new, vast American lands. After all, Portuguese landmass there was bigger than the entire Europe. Distance, management and all that was too big for the Portuguese to handle. Result- João V decided to split the American holdings into five. The Caribbean Area was formed as Cuba, though the capital was in the Island of Martinique. The Mexican area was formed into Portuguese Mexico, with capital in Karankawa, the most Northern province of the nation. Lands south of Panama were turned into Portuguese Columbia, with their capital in Cartagena. Finally, Portuguese Brazil with their capital in Pernambuco.

All these nations became the Protectorates of Portugal, led by crown-appointed Viceroys and with limited foreign policies. They have their own armies and navies though, relieving Portugal from defending the nations. Richest of them was of course Cuba- with their wealthy provinces and their even more wealthy trade node in the Caribbean. Next, Mexico with their gold mines and Aztec riches. Then, the rest. The tariffs were still low, but it was without a doubt they would rise in the future. As for West Coast of North America- it was still undeveloped enough that it remained under direct Portuguese power.


New and improved map of America

Trade Reforms

In was also in 1640 when the trade of the world shifted. A new trade node in Western Europe, branching to London, Antwerpen, Bordeaux and Seville was created. Theoretically, it was supposed to be the riches in Europe. Practically, not so much. The Portuguese were really protective of their Indian trade and merchant was recalled from the Caribbean to steer trade from Mauretanian Coast to Seville. The result- most of the trade from India was steered happily into Seville, as it is supposed to be.


Mauretanian Coast, a new hotspot for the Portuguese trade

As for Caribbean (and American) trade, the Portuguese had lost it. Not wanting to get involved in the West Europe, João V decided to abandon Caribbean trade totally. Result- thanks to Danish and the Hansa, most of the trade from Caribbean flowed through Chesapeake, St. Lawrence and North Sea to Lübeck. Baltic Sea had been in decline as the trade goes, but becoming the trade center for America had put new fresh breath into them. Western Europe was abandoned for now though.


Lübeck, where trade from Russia and America meet

Finally, even though the Portugal lost the Caribbean trade, they were still making over 170 gold per month from Indian trade alone, so all is good.

Other Matters

Also in 1640, João V adapted the idea of Divine Supremacy- meaning that Portuguese missionaries were even more efficient than they used to be. With that, João V had no real need of one of his advisors, Axacaya Izquemitil, a converted Aztec who had risen to prominence as an inquisitor- prominence enough to become one of the personal advisors of João V. With his help, the Portuguese had perfected their missionary skills, so whole provinces could be converted quickly and efficiently and without much problems. It was a complex system involving lots of preachers, tax benefits and possibilities of governmental offices and orders from the government, laws involving the non-Christians and some violent incentives for representatives of other religions to keep their mouth shut as the Portuguese inquisition system arrived to their homes. Axacaya Izquemitil, having perfected the system, retired to the monastery and spent rest of his life there, praying. Upon his death, he was declared a saint, a first saint from the Native American populace.


Advancements of religious ideas

Axacaya Izquemitil was replaced by Jose de Noronha, who was not a spiritual, but instead a financial man. The inflation of Portugal was now close to 8% and his job was to lower it considerably. João V aslo replaced Gaspard de Aviero as his military advisor. Main reason- the man was getting too old. Vincente de Sousa took his place, further advancing the discipline of Portuguese troops.


Cabinet of João V

Also, João V instituted the naval convoy system, meaning better morale for the navies and more money from the tariffs. When the Admiralty was finished in Coimbra, the Portuguese naval tradition did wonders- almost no decline whatsoever. Meaning amongst other things, more power in the trade steering.


I'm almost not losing any naval tradition

Finally, Portuguese also started active trading with tea and china. It also meant that advisors that had somehow became the biggest money grubbers in the expenses side, were now much cheaper to maintain. Long live the tea!


When you are using only level 3 advisors, the tea saves you more money then anything else

As promised, i'm back! And right in the middle of February! This episode will be kinda where nothing much happens, apart from total reform of the political system of America and trade system, but these are minor details. Basically, when i got to page 5 of the new update, i thought it would be better to split things a bit.

Now, for one small matter of Mauritanian coast- yea, i've modded in the route from Mauritania to Seville. Mostly because hell, i'm doing the trade from Spice Islands, i'm doing the trade from India. All the East Asian wealth is flowing to Europe because of me alone! And i really-really hate when the English and French just have to send their ships to Western Europe to collect when it is my hard work that brought things to Europe! I might reconsider it in the future, but now it seems like a really good idea to say that spices are mine! Mwahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!

Orlov Kruskayev - Armada will happen (most likely) two episodes from now. And 4th was almost in the middle, give or take a few weeks, but who's counting!

pesgores - and your home country has been my favourite to play since EU1. Portugal is so much fun! Hey, it rhymed!

DensleyBlair said:

Great to have you back and writing, hjarg! An interesting overview of the administrative reforms, as well. How did the Western Europe trade node come about? Is it just something I haven't noticed in the latest patch, or did you have a hand in its creation?

Click to expand...

And you know, great feeling to be writing again!

As for Western Europe, it was implemented in 1.03, when the Conquest of Paradise came out. I would have not done anything like that ever! Mostly because i don't like shooting myself in the foot. It was meant as a trade node that collects from America and Asia and distributes to London, Antwerpen, Seville and Bordeaux- kinda the hotspot for European trade with the rest of the world. My best guess is that it's there, just you haven't played these nations and thus failed to notice it? It's a bit west from France and England and northwest from Iberia, in the middle of Atlantic?

For mostly aesthetic reasons, this is the last post in this page.