A Brief History of Portugal: Blazing the Trail of a Voyage-Shaped Nation

by Dominic Haynes

**Re-edited version, end of Sept 2023** On the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, touching the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean lies a nation with a proud history that influenced Europe and the rest of the world. Known as Portucale by Ancient Romans (which gave rise to its modern name), the country of Portugal – and its island groups – are fantastic wonders to behold. You’d recognize this country for its rich culture incorporating fado music, world-famous Port wine, beautiful golden beaches, or even as the home of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. But the Portugal of today carries within its soil the history of bygone eras, one that you can trace back to prehistoric times – there’s a reason it’s one of Europe’s oldest countries. Its earliest settlers left traces of paleolithic human civilizations in caves and rock shelters. And later, the Ancient Romans erected their cities, the ruins of which you can still find dotting the country. But that’s not this nation was also home to some big-name houses and families which were crucial in influencing Europe’s geopolitics during medieval and contemporary times. And if you’ve got that itch of curiosity to satisfy your hunger for Portugal’s history, you’ve come to the right place. Taking you on a fantastic journey , here’s what awaits you within this
And much more. If you’re a history buff – curious about the Portuguese language, its people, and its culture – or someone who wants to dive into this European treasure of history, then this book will be your perfect companion. So, pack your bags, put on your best historian’s hat, and start your time machine. Portugal and its history await your arrival…

164 pages, Paperback

Published March 28, 2023

Reviews

[Jim Craft · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written and very superficial.

This is a superficial book written by an author who is apparently an advocate of the “great man” approach to history. I do not know much about Portuguese history and was disappointed that this added little. Dates, rulers and ruler wannabes are about all that comes out of this.

Surprisingly, the book was also very poorly written and edited. Sloppy word choices and grammatical errors abound. Frankly, I assumed it was a poor translation of a book originally written in Portuguese. Sadly, that was not the case.

Had it not been short, I would never stuck with it to the end.

[Brian Chafin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know what makes this book more unreadable - the editing or the incorrect information. As a text, it reads like a first draft into which the author dumped a bunch of facts which might or not make it into the final draft, with only a modest attempt at a connected narrative. Those “facts” include Julius Caesar being governor of Rome 40 years before he was born. I gave up when the author described a Visigothic king “abandoning Christianity for Roman Catholicism”.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read and very informative.