The Forgotten Portuguese Navy of the Atlantic

The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History · Sep 9, 2026 · 9m · transcript

While we often focus on Portugal’s Asian spice routes and African gold, there was a quieter, equally vital force operating in the mid-Atlantic: the Royal Navy’s protection of the Brazilian silver fleet. This episode explores the critical years between 1763 and 1775, when the threat of British privateers and French naval expansion forced Lisbon to modernize its maritime defense. We look at the career of Admiral José de Mascarenhas, Count of Sarzedas, and his controversial decision to centralize convoy command under the newly created Ministério da Marinha. The conversation details the Battle of…