Portuguese North America

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here: All Statistics

Establishment

• January 1503: The Corte-Real brothers, Miguel and Gaspar, explored Newfoundland and Labrador, claiming them as part of the Portuguese Empire.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. War of the Portuguese Succession

Was a succession crisis caused by the death of the King of Portugal without heirs. The conflict saw two main claimants to the Portuguese throne: António, Prior of Crato, proclaimed in several towns as King of Portugal, and his first cousin Philip II of Spain, who eventually succeeded in claiming the crown, reigning as Philip I of Portugal.

• October 1580: Philip II of Spain succeeded in claiming the Portuguese crown, reigning as Philip I of Portugal.

2. Further events (Unrelated to Any War)

• January 1523: Nova Scotia was explored and claimed by João Álvares Fagundes. In Nova Scotia, Portuguese had two settlements, one in Saint Peters and another one in Ingonish. In about 1521-22, the Portuguese under João Álvares Fagundes established a fishing colony on the island.
• January 1571: Though its fate is unknown the Portuguese settlement in Saint Peter it is mentioned as late as 1570.

Disestablishment

• January 1584: Sir Humphrey Gilbert, provided with letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I, landed in St John's and formally took possession of the island. Newfoundland became England's first possession in North America and one of the earliest permanent English colonies in the New World.

Selected Sources

• Fernández Álvarez, M. (1998): Felipe II y su tiempo, cuarta edición, p. 523