Publicação
Crusades in the Making of the Global Early Modern World
| Resumo: | The chapter explores the ideological foundations of early Portuguese overseas expansion, emphasizing the centrality of the Crusade as a legitimizing and mobilizing framework in campaigns across North Africa and the Indian Ocean. Beginning with the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, Portuguese kings and nobles framed their expansion as a continuation of the Iberian Reconquista, embedding their actions within a broader Christian struggle against Islam. The conquest of Muslim-held territories was not only a geopolitical and economic endeavor but also a religious mission grounded in centuries-old crusading ideals. In the Indian Ocean, similar motives shaped imperial policy. The pursuit of Prester John and the aim of challenging Muslim trade dominance reinforced the vision of a Christianized maritime empire. The establishment of the Estado da Índiawas thus driven by a fusion of religious and commercial goals, with the former often invoked to legitimize military action and territorial control. Over time, however, the intensity of crusading zeal declined as commercial pragmatism and strategic state interests gained prominence. Nevertheless, the crusading framework remained an enduring element of early imperial rhetoric, shaping perceptions of legitimacy and divine sanction. Finally, key historiographical debates are presented, contrasting interpretations that prioritize economic and political factors with those that foreground religious motivations. Current research is shaped by a more integrated understanding of these dimensions, recognizing the Crusade not as a vestigial medieval relic, but as a dynamic ideological force that helped shape the course of Portuguese imperial expansion during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. |
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| Autores principais: | Teixeira, André |
| Outros Autores: | Lázaro, António |
| Assunto: | General Arts and Humanities |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | capítulo de livro |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| Resumo: | The chapter explores the ideological foundations of early Portuguese overseas expansion, emphasizing the centrality of the Crusade as a legitimizing and mobilizing framework in campaigns across North Africa and the Indian Ocean. Beginning with the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, Portuguese kings and nobles framed their expansion as a continuation of the Iberian Reconquista, embedding their actions within a broader Christian struggle against Islam. The conquest of Muslim-held territories was not only a geopolitical and economic endeavor but also a religious mission grounded in centuries-old crusading ideals. In the Indian Ocean, similar motives shaped imperial policy. The pursuit of Prester John and the aim of challenging Muslim trade dominance reinforced the vision of a Christianized maritime empire. The establishment of the Estado da Índiawas thus driven by a fusion of religious and commercial goals, with the former often invoked to legitimize military action and territorial control. Over time, however, the intensity of crusading zeal declined as commercial pragmatism and strategic state interests gained prominence. Nevertheless, the crusading framework remained an enduring element of early imperial rhetoric, shaping perceptions of legitimacy and divine sanction. Finally, key historiographical debates are presented, contrasting interpretations that prioritize economic and political factors with those that foreground religious motivations. Current research is shaped by a more integrated understanding of these dimensions, recognizing the Crusade not as a vestigial medieval relic, but as a dynamic ideological force that helped shape the course of Portuguese imperial expansion during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. |
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