A Concise History of Portugal

A Concise History of Portugal by David Birmingham

This concise, illustrated history of Portugal offers an introduction to the people and culture of the country, its empire, and its search for economic modernisation, political stability and international partnership. It is the first single-volume account of Portugal's history to be written since the days of dictatorship and colonisation. After a short introduction to Portugal's 2000-year history before the revolution of 1640, the book studies the effects of the vast wealth mined from Portuguese Brazil, the growth of the wine trade, and the evolution of close ties with England, Portugal's 'oldest ally'. The Portuguese Revolution of 1820 to 1851 created a liberal monarchy, but in 1910 the king was overthrown and, by 1926, had been replaced by a dictatorship which tried to overcome Portugal's poverty by building a new empire in Africa. In 1975 Portugal withdrew from its African colonies and turned north to become a democratic member of the European community.

'… should become standard reading for all those seeking an insight into the historical evolution of this remarkable country' David Brookshaw, The Times Higher Education Supplement
'Especially impressive on its long timescale, the integration of domestic and imperial, political and economic history, and the concise account of the often complex nineteenth-century developments … A most valuable account of Britain's oldest ally … '. Archives

DAVID BIRMINGHAM's career as an academic observer of Africa began in 1955 with a visit to the colonial 'Gold Coast' where he subsequently obtained a degree from the University of Ghana. In 1960 he studied Portuguese at the University of Coimbra in order to consult post-medieval, and later also modern archival records relating to the history of Africa. After teaching in several universities in western, central and eastern Africa, as well as at the School of Oriental and African Studies, the author went to Canterbury in 1980 to take up the post of Professor of Modern History at the University of Kent. Most of the dozen books he has published so far examine the interaction between the peoples of Africa and those of Europe both in the age of the great explorers and in the era of modern colonisation. His books have also explored the postcolonial legacy of empire in Africa, a theme which recurs in the present volume. He is the author of the Concise History of Portugal.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521438803
ISBN 10	0521438802
Title	A Concise History of Portugal
Author	David Birmingham
Series	Cambridge Concise Histories
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	1993-06-17
Number of pages	223
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable