Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire

Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire

In Conquerors,Â New York Times bestselling author Roger Crowley gives us the epic story of the emergence of Portugal, a small, poor nation that enjoyed a century of maritime supremacy thanks to the daring and navigational skill of its explorersâ€”a tactical advantage no other country could match. Portugalâ€™s discovery of a sea route to India, campaign of imperial conquest over Muslim rulers, and domination of the spice trade would forever disrupt the Mediterranean and build the first global economy.

Crowley relies on letters and eyewitness testimony to tell the story of tiny Portugalâ€™s rapid and breathtaking rise to power. Conquerors reveals the ImpÃ©rio PortuguÃªs in all of its splendor and ferocity, bringing to life the personalities of the enterprising and fanatical house of Aviz. Figures such as King Manuel â€œthe Fortunate,â€ JoÃ£o II â€œthe Perfect Prince,â€ marauding governor Afonso de Albuquerque, and explorer Vasco da Gama juggled their private ambitions and the public aims of the empire, often suffering astonishing losses in pursuit of a global fortune. Also central to the story of Portugalâ€™s ascent was its drive to eradicate Islamic culture and establish a Christian empire in the Indian Ocean. Portuguese explorers pushed deep into the African continent in search of the mythical Christian king Prester John, and they ruthlessly besieged Indian port cities in their attempts to monopolize trade.

The discovery of a route to India around the horn of Africa was not only a brilliant breakthrough in navigation but heralded a complete upset of the world order. For the next century, no European empire was more ambitious, no rulers more rapacious than the kings of Portugal. In the process they created the first long-range maritime empire and set in motion the forces of globalization that now shape our world. At Crowleyâ€™s hand, the complete story of the Portuguese empire and the human cost of its ambition can finally be told.

Praise for Conquerors

â€œExcellent . . . Crowleyâ€™s interpretations are nuanced and fair.â€â€”The Christian Science Monitor

â€œIn a riveting narrative, Crowley chronicles Portugal's horrifically violent trajectory from â€˜impoverished, marginalâ€™ nation to European power, vying with Spain and Venice to dominate the spice trade.â€â€”Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

â€œBrings to life the Portuguese explorers . . . perfect for anyone who likes a high seas tale.â€â€”Publishers Weekly

â€œReaders of Crowleyâ€™s previous books will not be disappointed by this exciting tale of sea battles, land campaigns and shipwrecks. . . . Crowley makes a good case for reclaiming Portugalâ€™s significance as forger of the first global empire.â€â€”The Daily Telegraph

â€œCrowley has shown a rare gift for combining compelling narrative with lightly worn academic thoroughness as well as for balancing the human with the geopoliticalâ€”qualities on display here. The story he has to tell may be a thrilling one but not every historian could tell it so thrillingly.â€â€”Michael Prodger, Financial Times

â€œA fast-moving and highly readable narrative . . . [Crowleyâ€™s] detailed reconstruction of events is based on a close reading of the works of the chroniclers, notably Barros and Correa, whose accounts were written in the tradition of the chronicles of chivalry.â€â€”History Today
Country USA
Manufacturer Random House
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2015-12-01
Format Kindle eBook
EANs 9780812994018

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Random House
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2015-12-01
Format	Kindle eBook
EANs	9780812994018

Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire

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