Latest / The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History
Macau Portugal Lasting Empire in China
After conquering Malacca in 1511, the Portuguese set their sights on China, but early attempts ended in disaster — a naval defeat at Tunmen in 1521 and a failed embassy led by Tomé Pires that resulted in imprisonment and death. It took decades of diplomacy, smuggling, and a pivotal agreement by Leonel de Sousa in 1554 to reopen trade. The tipping point came in 1557 when Ming authorities granted the Portuguese a permanent lease on the tiny peninsula of Macau — a dusty fishing village that would become a linchpin of global commerce. Through Macau, the Portuguese monopolised the silver trade…
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