The Portuguese Empire

The Portuguese Empire was a global empire that existed from the 15th to the 19th century. It was formed by the territories and colonies controlled by Portugal, which included parts of South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The empire was established during the Age of Discovery, when Portuguese explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan, discovered new trade routes and territories. The empire was at its height in the 16th and 17th centuries, but began to decline in the 18th century due to competition from other European powers and internal political and economic issues. Portugal lost control of many of its colonies during the 19th century, and the empire officially came to an end in 1910 when Portugal's last overseas territory, Brazil, gained independence.