The Portuguese Tea Trade: From China to Europe's Cup

The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History · Jul 11, 2026 · 5m · transcript

In this episode of The History of Portugal, Lucas and Luna explore the Portuguese role in the early tea trade between China and Europe. While the Dutch and British are often credited with popularizing tea, it was Portuguese merchants and missionaries who first introduced the leaf to the West. From the court of Catherine of Braganza, who brought tea to England as part of her dowry, to the Jesuit reports from China describing the preparation of 'chá', the Portuguese were the first to establish a direct sea route for tea. The episode covers the early trade through Macau, the role of…