Portugal's Azores: The Atlantic Waystation

The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History · Sep 30, 2026 · 7m · transcript

While the spice routes to India and the sugar plantations of Brazil dominate the narrative of Portuguese expansion, a quieter, more critical infrastructure was being built in the middle of the Atlantic. This episode explores the colonization of the Azores, an archipelago discovered in the 1420s that became the essential refueling stop for ships crossing the open ocean. We follow Diogo de Silves and the early settlers who transformed volcanic islands into agricultural hubs, growing wheat and raising livestock to sustain the long voyages to Africa and beyond. Lucas and Luna discuss how these…