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    The Portuguese in Asia

    FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OF INFLUENCE

    • All Posts
    • Why East
    • India
    • SE Asia
    • China
    • Japan
    • Decline
    • So What
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    How China became known as China, thanks to the Portuguese
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 18, 2021
    • 2 min

    How China became known as China, thanks to the Portuguese

    In the Chinese language, China is referred to as 中国 (zhōng guó), or 中國 in traditional script, meaning the middle kingdom. This wasn't...
    535 views0 comments
    Asian Influence in Portuguese Brazil
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 7, 2021
    • 2 min

    Asian Influence in Portuguese Brazil

    When I visited Minas Gerais in Brazil more than ten years ago, I made it a point to go to the city of Ouro Preto to check out some of the...
    357 views0 comments
    Malay words of Portuguese origin
    Spencer Low
    • Oct 26, 2021
    • 2 min

    Malay words of Portuguese origin

    Malay was the lingua franca of Southeast Asia, and after the Portuguese took control of the trading port of Malacca in 1511, many words...
    1,083 views1 comment
    The joint Portuguese-Spanish interventions in Cambodia
    Spencer Low
    • Oct 18, 2021
    • 2 min

    The joint Portuguese-Spanish interventions in Cambodia

    The Portuguese made their appearance in Southeast Asia when they conquered Malacca on 24 August 1511. Their Iberian neighbours the...
    143 views0 comments
    Bartolomeu Vaz Landeiro: The King of the Portuguese from Macau
    Spencer Low
    • Oct 10, 2021
    • 2 min

    Bartolomeu Vaz Landeiro: The King of the Portuguese from Macau

    A merchant, a pirate, a smuggler, an adventurer, a captain, and even an official representative of the Portuguese authorities: Bartolomeu...
    516 views0 comments
    The Codex Casanatense: first example of intellectual fusion between Asia and Europe?
    Spencer Low
    • Aug 17, 2021
    • 2 min

    The Codex Casanatense: first example of intellectual fusion between Asia and Europe?

    The Codex Casanatense, or Códice Casanatense in Portuguese, is a set of 16th century Portuguese illustrations. Likely the work of an...
    112 views0 comments
    When the Portuguese first arrived in India...
    Spencer Low
    • Aug 15, 2021
    • 2 min

    When the Portuguese first arrived in India...

    Vasco da Gama led the first Portuguese expedition to India, setting sail from Lisbon on July 8, 1497 and arriving in Calicut only on May...
    136 views0 comments
    Not all Portuguese were excited about the Discoveries
    Spencer Low
    • Aug 7, 2021
    • 1 min

    Not all Portuguese were excited about the Discoveries

    Why pass so many storms, and life and times so sore, forever at death's door? I'd give up pepper without qualms. Par passar tanta...
    26 views0 comments
    Portuguese influence on Indian cuisine
    Spencer Low
    • Jan 1, 2021
    • 2 min

    Portuguese influence on Indian cuisine

    Indian cuisine should perhaps be more accurately referred to in the plural: there are so many regional differences, from seafood-heavy...
    88 views0 comments
    Portuguese influence on Southeast Asian cuisines
    Spencer Low
    • Dec 26, 2020
    • 1 min

    Portuguese influence on Southeast Asian cuisines

    The Portuguese introduced ingredients to the Asia palate that some would consider to be fundamental today. What would Thai food be like...
    94 views0 comments
    Japanese words of Portuguese origin
    Spencer Low
    • Dec 10, 2020
    • 2 min

    Japanese words of Portuguese origin

    Although the Japanese were more deeply familiar with the Dutch language (Western knowledge was called 蘭学 rangaku or "Dutch studies"), the...
    60 views0 comments
    Thai words of Portuguese origin
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 28, 2020
    • 1 min

    Thai words of Portuguese origin

    The Portuguese were the first Europeans to make contact with the Kingdom of Siam more than 500 years ago in 1511. In 1518 was signed the...
    195 views0 comments
    So what? Why this history still matters today
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 7, 2020
    • 1 min

    So what? Why this history still matters today

    Interesting as it may be, the influence that the Portuguese exerted in Asia so many centuries ago is often relegated to the introductory...
    13 views0 comments
    Decline & displacement
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 7, 2020
    • 1 min

    Decline & displacement

    Portugal was united with Spain in 1580 by virtue of sharing the same king in the person of Philip (Filipe I in Portuguese). The Spanish...
    19 views0 comments
    The Portuguese in Southeast Asia
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 3, 2020
    • 1 min

    The Portuguese in Southeast Asia

    Starting with the conquest of Malacca, the Portuguese finally found in Southeast Asia the source of the spices they were looking for.
    30 views0 comments
    Why the Portuguese went East
    Spencer Low
    • Nov 1, 2020
    • 1 min

    Why the Portuguese went East

    I intend to explore this topic through four perspectives: What were the political drivers for what was a costly national undertaking? Was...
    25 views0 comments
    The Portuguese in India
    Spencer Low
    • Oct 17, 2020
    • 1 min

    The Portuguese in India

    In their quest for spices, Europeans raced to be the first to reach India. The Portuguese won, but this was merely the start of their...
    11 views0 comments
    The Portuguese in China
    Spencer Low
    • Oct 17, 2020
    • 1 min

    The Portuguese in China

    While China long had contact with Europe through the Silk Road, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to show up by sea. And they...
    14 views0 comments
    The Portuguese in Japan
    Spencer Low
    • Oct 17, 2020
    • 1 min

    The Portuguese in Japan

    Arriving from southern China, the Portuguese were called "Southern Barbarians" (南蛮) by the Japanese. These barbarians brought lucrative...
    70 views0 comments
    • All Posts (19) 19 posts
    • Why East (1) 1 post
    • India (2) 2 posts
    • SE Asia (5) 5 posts
    • China (1) 1 post
    • Japan (2) 2 posts
    • Decline (1) 1 post
    • So What (1) 1 post

    © 2020 Spencer Low