Joao II is dead but he has Portugal poised to become one of the great powers in the world. Portuguese troops are well on their way to delivering the Moors yet another humiliating defeat in Morocco and Dias will soon round the horn. But will the Beja dynasty prove able to take the reigns?
1495. Manoel I Da Beja takes the throne. A huge parade of pomp and circumstance in Lisbon heralds his coronation. The new Rei promises to uphold the policies of his predecessor, with one vital exception. The noble families Joao II persecuted (especially the rich and powerful Braganca family) are returned from exile. Manoel knows he does not have the autocratic personality or ability of Joao and needs the help of Portugal's other elites. He will need all their help for tiny Portugal is quickly reaching the end of her slender resources and a economic disaster is brewing.
In 1495 Vasco Da Gama and Pedro Cabral leave with their fleets from Lisbon. Da Gama sails south to join Dias at the colony of Dourados in Table to continue the journey to India. Cabral sails to Cape Verde to sail west. To ensure no islands or other bases might be available to privateers or pirates so close to these vital sea lanes.
The Kingdom of Portugal in 1495:
Provinces:
Tago (Lisbon) (Capitol)
Algarve (Elvas)
Oporto (Porto)
Cape Verde (Cape Verde)
The Azores (The Azores)
Tangiers (Tangiers) (Sunni)
Colonies:
Fernando Po (Sao Thome) 112
Table (Dourados) 99
Trading Posts:
Cochin 1
Mayumba 1
Muni 1
Palanas 4
Leone 1
Dakar 1
Senegal 1
Noualchott 3
Early in the year the glorious Army of Almeida takes the Moroccan capital of Fez. General Luis Abrantes enters the city on a white charger. For the first time in over 800 years bells sound mass instead of minarets sounding the call to prayer. Manoel arrives a few weeks later and takes communion in a converted mosque. Soon spires and not minarets will be dominating the Fez sky. Soon after Merrakech falls, and a large Portuguese army lands and in Sahara and besieges the city with a detachment while the army joins the main Portuguese army in Morocco. The Moroccan Army besieging Tangiers sees that the game is almost up and another huge battle takes place in Fez. 29,000 Moroccans are routed by 31,000 portuguese and in the summer Sahara falls. The Sultan of Morocco surrenders and Morocco is incorporated into the Portuguese Kingdom. All Muslims who do not convert are stripped of civil rights and are forced to give up all their property to the state. Ghettos are formed in Moroccan cities to house the intransigent. Colonists arrive from Portugal, mostly clergy and merchants, and soon all three former provinces of Morocco are converted to Catholicism. Maps and trade route information won in this war give the Portuguese knowledge of the Middle east and the riches that can be won in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. The Rei makes a very controversial decision, he forms an alliance with a Muslim country, the Sultanate of Aden. The Rei's advisors have analyzed the situation and have their eyes on the rich island of Zanzibar and the importance of the trade center at Mascate. Both in the hands of Aden's rival, the Sultanate of Oman. Portugal's victorious Army boards the Portuguese fleet, still under command by G. Corte Real, and sails for Zanzibar. Portugal is once again preparing for war. The war strained the Portugal's economy severly however, Portugal is severly in debt (3 outstanding loans) and looks to be headed for bankruptcy.
By 1498 The army is in position off the coast of Oman. Cabral has mapped the coast of a newly discovered continent. The area he discovers he claims for Portugal and it comes to be known Brasil for the large amounts of brasilwood found there. So far he has mapped from the coast of Brasil to Todos Santos bay. The economy is still in shambles with four loans now outstanding and inflation increasing steadily. A young dashing officer named Camoens is banished from Portugal for having an affair with a noble's wife. He is given an army in Morocco and told to map the African coast and subdue hostile natives. Word reaches the court that the Turks have responded to the Portuguese victory in Morocco to annex Moldavia. Manoel sends a letter to his English cousins sending condolance for their cession of Calais to France. Still most of Europe has returned to peace. Portugal though declares war and Aden joins her in another war for Empire. The Sultanate of Oman is her next target.
The war starts well for the allies. Portugal's army lands in Zanzibar and quickly commences a siege. The Portuguese fleet sinks the Oman ships in the area then returns to Dourados (Table). Aden invades Oman and Oman burns the Portuguese trading post in Qatar. Zanzibar, Dofhar, and Masirah all soon fall the former to Portugal and the latter two to Aden. Corte Real and a small fleet is sent to explore the middle Atlantic, while Da Gama, Dias and the bulk of the fleet picks up most of the Army from Zanzibar (we leave 2,000 to garrison the island) and sail on to the straights of Ormuz. A large sea battle is fought there and the Oman fleet is scattered. Da Gama drops off the Portuguese army in Al Kharan and sails back to port. The Aden army reaches the capitol of Oman, Mascate and commences a siege. In 1500 a brilliant young General named Almeida gathers an Army in Tago to carry on a successful end to the war. A fleet commanded by S. Corte Real sails his force to join the army in Oman. It is renamed the Army of Almeida. The Army takes Al Kharam, breaching the gates of the capitol of Suhar. Aden backs out of the war taking the two provinces they captured. Almeida leads his army to Mascate and prepares to finish off the Omanese. In the end of 1501 Zanzibar, Al Kharan, and vitally Mascate are annexed. Mascate becomes the chief center of trade in the Indian Ocean, soon reaching 600 Ducats in trade volume.
Traders in Cochin discover the nearby kingdom of Mysore. Portuguese diplomats are sent to Bangalore to attempt to bring them into the alliance. Their support is key to Portugal's ambitions in India. After many years of gifts and dealing Mysore joins the allies in 1503. Soon after the Portuguese gain Mysore maps detailing India.
In 1502 Portugal finally goes bankrupt, inflation soars to 31%. Manoel wants to panic but his advisors in the government encourage him to continue the expansionist policies and ride out the storm. Unfortunatly for Portugal, Aden goes to war with The Hedjaz in 1502 and by 1503 Portugal is nearing a 2nd bankruptcy. Ragusa is annexed by Venice(1502), Ryazan is peacefully annexed by Russia, Poland crushes the Turks and gains Moldavia and Ismael, France and her allies finish defeating Sweden and France annexes Vastergotland, and the Hanseatic league, Pommerania, and Holstein stun the world by defeating Denmark Holstein annexes Jylland.
The war with Hedjaz is short but painful for Portugal. The Strain of the war sends Portugal into bankruptcy again and its all the government can do to prevent a civil war. Portugal manages to ride out the storm though. With the state in disarray, Almeida still manages to conquer Tabuk and threatens Mekkah, where an Adenese army is already besieging. That year Persia and the Mameluks attack The Hedjaz as well and Portugal is bought off with the cession of Tabuk. Now Portugal has a port on the Red sea, if just a tiny village of 100 Muslims. The War ends with Persia gaining Arabia.
Portugal sits back and waits for the tattered economy to recover. Slowly Manoel begins to colonise India, Eastern Africa, and Brasil. Camoens finishes mapping Africa and maps Brasil. New explorers Albuquerque and De Queros push Portuguese exploration East. Portugal organises the Empire into a series of Captaincies where each region will have a Catholic city as a capitol where troops will be raised and administration and trade can be conducted. When the Captaincy has been thoroughly developed it will be raised to the status of a full province. Through this method Portugal hopes to consolidate their now spralling Empire. Soon Portugal will be on the defensive as their power increases and they must prepare for the competitors who most surely will arrive. Right now Portugal can only nurse their economy back to health and continue their rapid pace of expansion. By 1518 stability has increase (to -1 from -3) and King Manoel and his advisors believe they have beaten the crisis.
Provinces and Captaincies of Portugal in 1518:
(Names followed by 1 to 6 are trading posts (or Feitorias), Names followed by larger numbers are colonies and the number is the population, just names is a city, a province without a list of territories just contains the namesake territory. The name in parenthesis is the main city name in the territory and then if the city is a capitol or is not a catholic city that information follows)
Province of Tago (Lisbon) (Capitol)
Province of Algarve (Elvas)
Province of Oporto (Porto)
Province of Cape Verde (Cape Verde)
Province of The Azores (The Azores)
Province of Maghreb
Toubkal (Merrakech)
Tangiers (Tangiers) (Sunni)
Morocco (Fez) (Capitol of Maghreb)
Province of Oman
Al Kharam (Suhar) (Shiite)
Mascate (Mascate) (Shiite) (Capitol of Oman)
Captaincy of Tanganyika
Zanzibar (Zanzibar) (Sunni) (Capitol of Tanganyika)
Niassa 1
Rufiji 1
Captaincy of Mauritania
Sahara (Sahara) (Capitiol of Mauritania)
Tassaret 1
Nouadibuh 1
Nouakchott 3
Louga 1
Captaincy of the Cape
Table (Dourados) 90
Karroo 1
Ciskei 1
Captaincy of the Mascareignes
Bourbon (Sao Borge) 29 (revolt decimated population)
Captaincy of the Seychelles
Mahe 1
Captaincy of Senegal
Senegal 1
Dakar 1
Gambia 1
Casamance 1
Captaincy of Rio de Janiero
Cangucu 1
Curitibia 1
Niteroi 1
Captaincy of Recife
Pernambac 1
Recife 1
Paraiba 1
Tiracambu 1
Captaincy of Punjab
Cambay 1
Kutch 1
Captaincy of Nefud
Tabuk (Tabuk) 101 (Sunni)
Damman 1
Quatar 1
Captaincy of Namibia
Ovambo 1
Damara 1
Namaqua 1
Captaincy of Malabar
Trivandru 1
Cochin 1
Kerala 1
Mangalore 1
Goa (Goa) 195
Captaincy of the Ivory Coast
Palanas 4
Ivoria 1
Accra 1
Nigeria 1
Captaincy of Gujarat
Bombay 1
Captaincy of the Gold Coast
Guinea 1
Leone 1
Captaincy of Gabon
Muni 1
Mayumba 1
Captaincy of Ethiopia
Mogadiscio 1
Captaincy of the Congo
Cabinda 1
Zaire 1
Captaincy of Cameroon
Fernando Po (Sao Thome) 126
Kribi 1
Douala 1
Captaincy of Belem
Para 1
Marajo 1
Captaincy of Bahia
Itaimas 1
Salvador 1
Diamentina 1
Captaincy of Angola
Luanda 1
Cobito 1
Curango 1
Captaincy of Aden
Socotra 1
Captaincy of Bahk
Baluchistan 1
Political alliances of Portugal in 1518:
Alliance with Mysore and Aden
Dynastic alliances with:
Pommerania
Spain
Navarra
Hanseatic League
Parma
England
Ethiopia
Next the Portuguese continue their empire building and discover the far East.
1495. Manoel I Da Beja takes the throne. A huge parade of pomp and circumstance in Lisbon heralds his coronation. The new Rei promises to uphold the policies of his predecessor, with one vital exception. The noble families Joao II persecuted (especially the rich and powerful Braganca family) are returned from exile. Manoel knows he does not have the autocratic personality or ability of Joao and needs the help of Portugal's other elites. He will need all their help for tiny Portugal is quickly reaching the end of her slender resources and a economic disaster is brewing.
In 1495 Vasco Da Gama and Pedro Cabral leave with their fleets from Lisbon. Da Gama sails south to join Dias at the colony of Dourados in Table to continue the journey to India. Cabral sails to Cape Verde to sail west. To ensure no islands or other bases might be available to privateers or pirates so close to these vital sea lanes.
The Kingdom of Portugal in 1495:
Provinces:
Tago (Lisbon) (Capitol)
Algarve (Elvas)
Oporto (Porto)
Cape Verde (Cape Verde)
The Azores (The Azores)
Tangiers (Tangiers) (Sunni)
Colonies:
Fernando Po (Sao Thome) 112
Table (Dourados) 99
Trading Posts:
Cochin 1
Mayumba 1
Muni 1
Palanas 4
Leone 1
Dakar 1
Senegal 1
Noualchott 3
Early in the year the glorious Army of Almeida takes the Moroccan capital of Fez. General Luis Abrantes enters the city on a white charger. For the first time in over 800 years bells sound mass instead of minarets sounding the call to prayer. Manoel arrives a few weeks later and takes communion in a converted mosque. Soon spires and not minarets will be dominating the Fez sky. Soon after Merrakech falls, and a large Portuguese army lands and in Sahara and besieges the city with a detachment while the army joins the main Portuguese army in Morocco. The Moroccan Army besieging Tangiers sees that the game is almost up and another huge battle takes place in Fez. 29,000 Moroccans are routed by 31,000 portuguese and in the summer Sahara falls. The Sultan of Morocco surrenders and Morocco is incorporated into the Portuguese Kingdom. All Muslims who do not convert are stripped of civil rights and are forced to give up all their property to the state. Ghettos are formed in Moroccan cities to house the intransigent. Colonists arrive from Portugal, mostly clergy and merchants, and soon all three former provinces of Morocco are converted to Catholicism. Maps and trade route information won in this war give the Portuguese knowledge of the Middle east and the riches that can be won in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. The Rei makes a very controversial decision, he forms an alliance with a Muslim country, the Sultanate of Aden. The Rei's advisors have analyzed the situation and have their eyes on the rich island of Zanzibar and the importance of the trade center at Mascate. Both in the hands of Aden's rival, the Sultanate of Oman. Portugal's victorious Army boards the Portuguese fleet, still under command by G. Corte Real, and sails for Zanzibar. Portugal is once again preparing for war. The war strained the Portugal's economy severly however, Portugal is severly in debt (3 outstanding loans) and looks to be headed for bankruptcy.
By 1498 The army is in position off the coast of Oman. Cabral has mapped the coast of a newly discovered continent. The area he discovers he claims for Portugal and it comes to be known Brasil for the large amounts of brasilwood found there. So far he has mapped from the coast of Brasil to Todos Santos bay. The economy is still in shambles with four loans now outstanding and inflation increasing steadily. A young dashing officer named Camoens is banished from Portugal for having an affair with a noble's wife. He is given an army in Morocco and told to map the African coast and subdue hostile natives. Word reaches the court that the Turks have responded to the Portuguese victory in Morocco to annex Moldavia. Manoel sends a letter to his English cousins sending condolance for their cession of Calais to France. Still most of Europe has returned to peace. Portugal though declares war and Aden joins her in another war for Empire. The Sultanate of Oman is her next target.
The war starts well for the allies. Portugal's army lands in Zanzibar and quickly commences a siege. The Portuguese fleet sinks the Oman ships in the area then returns to Dourados (Table). Aden invades Oman and Oman burns the Portuguese trading post in Qatar. Zanzibar, Dofhar, and Masirah all soon fall the former to Portugal and the latter two to Aden. Corte Real and a small fleet is sent to explore the middle Atlantic, while Da Gama, Dias and the bulk of the fleet picks up most of the Army from Zanzibar (we leave 2,000 to garrison the island) and sail on to the straights of Ormuz. A large sea battle is fought there and the Oman fleet is scattered. Da Gama drops off the Portuguese army in Al Kharan and sails back to port. The Aden army reaches the capitol of Oman, Mascate and commences a siege. In 1500 a brilliant young General named Almeida gathers an Army in Tago to carry on a successful end to the war. A fleet commanded by S. Corte Real sails his force to join the army in Oman. It is renamed the Army of Almeida. The Army takes Al Kharam, breaching the gates of the capitol of Suhar. Aden backs out of the war taking the two provinces they captured. Almeida leads his army to Mascate and prepares to finish off the Omanese. In the end of 1501 Zanzibar, Al Kharan, and vitally Mascate are annexed. Mascate becomes the chief center of trade in the Indian Ocean, soon reaching 600 Ducats in trade volume.
Traders in Cochin discover the nearby kingdom of Mysore. Portuguese diplomats are sent to Bangalore to attempt to bring them into the alliance. Their support is key to Portugal's ambitions in India. After many years of gifts and dealing Mysore joins the allies in 1503. Soon after the Portuguese gain Mysore maps detailing India.
In 1502 Portugal finally goes bankrupt, inflation soars to 31%. Manoel wants to panic but his advisors in the government encourage him to continue the expansionist policies and ride out the storm. Unfortunatly for Portugal, Aden goes to war with The Hedjaz in 1502 and by 1503 Portugal is nearing a 2nd bankruptcy. Ragusa is annexed by Venice(1502), Ryazan is peacefully annexed by Russia, Poland crushes the Turks and gains Moldavia and Ismael, France and her allies finish defeating Sweden and France annexes Vastergotland, and the Hanseatic league, Pommerania, and Holstein stun the world by defeating Denmark Holstein annexes Jylland.
The war with Hedjaz is short but painful for Portugal. The Strain of the war sends Portugal into bankruptcy again and its all the government can do to prevent a civil war. Portugal manages to ride out the storm though. With the state in disarray, Almeida still manages to conquer Tabuk and threatens Mekkah, where an Adenese army is already besieging. That year Persia and the Mameluks attack The Hedjaz as well and Portugal is bought off with the cession of Tabuk. Now Portugal has a port on the Red sea, if just a tiny village of 100 Muslims. The War ends with Persia gaining Arabia.
Portugal sits back and waits for the tattered economy to recover. Slowly Manoel begins to colonise India, Eastern Africa, and Brasil. Camoens finishes mapping Africa and maps Brasil. New explorers Albuquerque and De Queros push Portuguese exploration East. Portugal organises the Empire into a series of Captaincies where each region will have a Catholic city as a capitol where troops will be raised and administration and trade can be conducted. When the Captaincy has been thoroughly developed it will be raised to the status of a full province. Through this method Portugal hopes to consolidate their now spralling Empire. Soon Portugal will be on the defensive as their power increases and they must prepare for the competitors who most surely will arrive. Right now Portugal can only nurse their economy back to health and continue their rapid pace of expansion. By 1518 stability has increase (to -1 from -3) and King Manoel and his advisors believe they have beaten the crisis.
Provinces and Captaincies of Portugal in 1518:
(Names followed by 1 to 6 are trading posts (or Feitorias), Names followed by larger numbers are colonies and the number is the population, just names is a city, a province without a list of territories just contains the namesake territory. The name in parenthesis is the main city name in the territory and then if the city is a capitol or is not a catholic city that information follows)
Province of Tago (Lisbon) (Capitol)
Province of Algarve (Elvas)
Province of Oporto (Porto)
Province of Cape Verde (Cape Verde)
Province of The Azores (The Azores)
Province of Maghreb
Toubkal (Merrakech)
Tangiers (Tangiers) (Sunni)
Morocco (Fez) (Capitol of Maghreb)
Province of Oman
Al Kharam (Suhar) (Shiite)
Mascate (Mascate) (Shiite) (Capitol of Oman)
Captaincy of Tanganyika
Zanzibar (Zanzibar) (Sunni) (Capitol of Tanganyika)
Niassa 1
Rufiji 1
Captaincy of Mauritania
Sahara (Sahara) (Capitiol of Mauritania)
Tassaret 1
Nouadibuh 1
Nouakchott 3
Louga 1
Captaincy of the Cape
Table (Dourados) 90
Karroo 1
Ciskei 1
Captaincy of the Mascareignes
Bourbon (Sao Borge) 29 (revolt decimated population)
Captaincy of the Seychelles
Mahe 1
Captaincy of Senegal
Senegal 1
Dakar 1
Gambia 1
Casamance 1
Captaincy of Rio de Janiero
Cangucu 1
Curitibia 1
Niteroi 1
Captaincy of Recife
Pernambac 1
Recife 1
Paraiba 1
Tiracambu 1
Captaincy of Punjab
Cambay 1
Kutch 1
Captaincy of Nefud
Tabuk (Tabuk) 101 (Sunni)
Damman 1
Quatar 1
Captaincy of Namibia
Ovambo 1
Damara 1
Namaqua 1
Captaincy of Malabar
Trivandru 1
Cochin 1
Kerala 1
Mangalore 1
Goa (Goa) 195
Captaincy of the Ivory Coast
Palanas 4
Ivoria 1
Accra 1
Nigeria 1
Captaincy of Gujarat
Bombay 1
Captaincy of the Gold Coast
Guinea 1
Leone 1
Captaincy of Gabon
Muni 1
Mayumba 1
Captaincy of Ethiopia
Mogadiscio 1
Captaincy of the Congo
Cabinda 1
Zaire 1
Captaincy of Cameroon
Fernando Po (Sao Thome) 126
Kribi 1
Douala 1
Captaincy of Belem
Para 1
Marajo 1
Captaincy of Bahia
Itaimas 1
Salvador 1
Diamentina 1
Captaincy of Angola
Luanda 1
Cobito 1
Curango 1
Captaincy of Aden
Socotra 1
Captaincy of Bahk
Baluchistan 1
Political alliances of Portugal in 1518:
Alliance with Mysore and Aden
Dynastic alliances with:
Pommerania
Spain
Navarra
Hanseatic League
Parma
England
Ethiopia
Next the Portuguese continue their empire building and discover the far East.
