Soon after the first contacts in 1543, Portuguese ships started to arrive in Japan. At that time, there were already trade exchanges between Portugal and Goa (since around 1515), consisting of 3 to 4 carracks leaving Lisbon withsilver to purchase cotton and spices in India. Out of these, only one carrack went on to China […]
A unique overview of Portuguese oceanic expansion between 1400 and 1800, the essays in this 2007 volume treat a wide range of subjects – economy and society, politics and institutions, cultural configurations and comparative dimensions – and radically update data and interpretations on the economic and financial trends of the Portuguese Empire. Interregional networks […]
Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India in the late 15th Century opened up new economic and cultural horizons for the Portuguese. At the height of Portugal’s maritime influence, it had created an oceanic state ranging from the Cape of Good Hope to China. While Portugal’s direct political influence in Asia was comparatively short-lived, its linguistic […]
The Portuguese era marked the end of medieval Sri Lanka and the beginning of modern Sri Lanka. It changed the island’s orientation away from India and gave it a unique identity moulded by almost 450 years of Western influence due to the presence of three successive European powers : the Portuguese (1505-1658), the Dutch (1658-1796) […]
The history of Goa is intrinsically linked to the many centuries of Portuguese presence and rule. Before the arrival of the Portuguese, most Goan houses were mostly made of mud and had a thatched roof. They faced inwards towards a central courtyard and had small windows, mostly devoid of ornaments. The Portuguese arrived in Goa […]
A beautiful new book by architect Gerard da Cunha and Japanese artist Akeru Barros Pereira takes the reader on a whirlwind ride through Goa’s history and how it influenced the makeup of the houses of Goa. Akeru’s deeply moving paintings show Goan homes in a refreshingly new light, with foliage-framed mansions standing tall in verdant […]
As early as 1540, João de Barros, the Portuguese chronicler predicted that… « The Portuguese arms and pillars placed in Africa and Asia, and in countless isles beyond the bounds of three continents, are material things, and time may destroy them. But time will not destroy the religion, customs and language which the Portuguese […]
Castella has been a popular cake in Japan for a long time but it seems to be different from traditional Wagashi. It looks like a Western sponge cake, made of eggs, flour, sugar and starch syrup. In addition, it is more sweet than ordinary Wagashi. Castella is thought to have been brought by Portuguese merchants […]