History of Portugal series
Prehistoric Iberia Oestriminis and Ophiussa Gallaeci, Lusitanians, Celtici, Cynetes Carthaginian Iberia Roman conquest of Hispania Second Punic War and Lusitanian War Roman Hispania, Lusitania and Gallaecia Suebic Kingdom and Visigothic Kingdom Moorish rule and Reconquista Asturian rule Leonese rule First County of Portugal County of Coimbra Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal Second County of Portugal Kingdom of Portugal Establishment of the Monarchy Consolidation of the Monarchy 1383–1385 Crisis Discoveries Portuguese Empire and its evolution 1580 Crisis and the Iberian Union Age of Enlightenment Invasions, Liberalism and Civil War Constitutional Monarchy First Republic Military dictatorship Estado Novo (New State) Third Republic Carnation Revolution Carnation Revolution to EEC 1990s 2000s
Topics
Economic history Cultural history Arts history Military history Colonial history Demographic history Diplomatic history Sports history Language history Music history History of the Azores History of Madeira
Timeline of Portuguese history

The Military history of Portugal is as long as the history of the country, either before the emergence of the socio-political reality of an independent Portuguese state, either after that.

Contents 1 Before Portugal 1.1 Roman Expansion 1.2 Germanic Expansion 1.3 Islamic Expansion 2 Portuguese Reconquista (868-1249) 2.1 First County of Portugal and County of Coimbra 2.1.1 Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal 2.2 Second County of Portugal 2.3 Kingdom of Portugal 3 After the Reconquista - conflicts with Castile 4 1383–1385 Crisis 4.1 Anglo-Portuguese Alliance 5 Imperial expansion 6 Conflicts with Spain 7 Other European conflicts 8 The Napoleonic Wars 8.1 War of the Oranges (1801) 8.2 Instability prior to the French invasions 8.2.1 Riots of Campo de Ourique (1802-1803) 8.2.2 Conspiracy of the Marquis of Alorna (1802) 8.2.3 Conspiracy of Mafra (1805) 8.2.4 Riots of Saint Torcato (1805) 8.3 Peninsular War (1807-1814) 8.3.1 First invasion 8.3.2 The Second and Third invasions 8.3.3 Persecutions of the Setembrizada (1809-1810) 8.3.4 British de facto occupation 8.3.5 Conspiracy of Gomes Freire (1817) 9 Civil Wars (1820-1851) 9.1 Liberal Revolution (1820) 9.1.1 Martinhada (1820) 9.1.2 Riots of 1821 9.1.2.1 Conspiracy of Major Pimenta (1821) 9.1.3 Conspiracy of Formosa street (1822) 9.1.4 Riots of the 24th and 10th Infantry Regiments (1822) 9.1.5 Riots in Castelo Branco and S. Miguel d'Acha (1822) 9.2 Saldanha's coup d'état (1822) 9.2.1 Rebellion of the Count of Amarante (1823) 9.3 The Vilafrancada (1823) 9.3.1 Conspiracy of Elvas (1823) 9.4 The Abrilada (1823) 9.5 Disturbances of 1826-1827 9.6 The Liberal Wars (1828-1834) 9.7 Coup attempt of 1835 9.8 Guerrilla of the Remexido (1835-1838) 9.8.1 Other Guerrillas 9.9 September Revolution (1836) 9.9.1 Belenzada (1836) 9.9.2 Conspiracy of the Marnotas (1837) 9.9.3 Revolt of the Marshals (1837) 9.9.4 Massacre of Rossio and Riots of the Arsenal (1838) 9.9.5 Riots of Lisbon (1840) 9.9.6 Military Revolt of Castelo Branco (1840) 9.10 Coup of 1842 9.10.1 Revolt of the 26th Hunters Battalion (1842) 9.10.2 Military revolt of Torres Novas (1844) 9.11 Revolution of Maria da Fonte (1846) 9.11.1 Emboscada (1846) 9.12 Patuleia (1846-1847) 9.12.1 Revolt of Pinotes (1846) 9.12.2 Montaria (1847) 9.12.3 Conspiracy of the Hidras (1848) 9.13 Coup of the Regeneração (1851) 10 Colonizing Africa 10.1 British Ultimatum (1890) 11 Coup attempts during the last stages of the Monarchy 11.1 Republican insurrection of 1881 11.2 The Regicide of 1908 12 First Republic (1910-1926) 12.1 Revolution of 1910 12.2 Military instability and coup attempts during the First Republic 12.3 World War I (1916–1918) 12.3.1 German incursions in Mozambique 12.3.2 Europe 13 Estado Novo (1926-1974) 13.1 28th May 1926 coup d'état 13.2 Military Dictatorship (1926-1933) 13.3 Involvement in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) 13.4 World War II (1939-1945) 13.5 NATO 13.5.1 Parachuters (1956) 13.6 Portuguese-Indian War (1961) 13.6.1 Background 13.6.2 Main events 13.7 Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974) 13.7.1 Commandos (1961) 13.8 Military coup attempts 14 Carnation Revolution (1974) 14.1 The "hot" years of the revolution (1974-1975) 15 International involvement (1991 to present) 16 References 17 See also

[edit] Before Portugal

Before the emergence of Portugal, between the 9th and the 12th centuries, its territory was part of important military conflicts - these were mainly the result of three processes.

[edit] Roman Expansion

• The conflict between Ancient Rome and Carthage for the dominion of the western Mediterranean sea, mainly occurred in Iberia (the Roman Hispania) during the Second Punic War from 218 to 201 BC.

• The Roman conquest of Hispania, a long process from 218 BC (in the context of the Second Punic War) to 17 BC (already during Emperor Augustus), that had three major confrontations regarding modern Portuguese territory:
  • The Lusitanian War from 155 to 139 BC, between the Romans and the Lusitanians, namely during the period these were led by Viriathus.
  • The expedition and conquest of Gallaecia (north of Portugal and Galicia), from 135 and 132 BC, led by Consul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus.
  • The Cantabrian Wars from 29 to 19 BC, in the last stade of Roman conquest, that, although not directed at populations in the present Portuguese territory, greatly involved military movements in what is now the north of Portugal.
• The Roman republican civil wars that took place, wholly or partially, in Hispania, even if in interaction and connection to the process of conquest, namely:
  • Sertorius' revolt in Hispania, from 83 to 72 BC, under the leadership of Sertorius.
  • Caesar's civil war, from 49 to 45 BC, between Julius Caesar and the optimates (conservative republicans), initially led by Pompey.

[edit] Germanic Expansion

The invasions during the Migration Period and the Decline of the Roman Empire, in the beginning of the 5th century, and the subsequent conflicts between conquerors (until the 8th century), namely:

• Invasion of Roman Gallaecia by the Germanic Suevi (Quadi and Marcomanni) under king Hermerico, accompanied by the Buri in 409.
• Invasion of Hispania by the Germanic Vandals (Silingi - established in Baetica, and Hasdingi - established in interior Gallaecia, near the Suevi) and the Sarmatian Alans (established in Roman Lusitania), in 409.
• Invasion of Hispania by the Germanic Visigoths lead by King Theodorid, expanding from Aquitaine and under request by the Romans, in 410, establishing the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania.
• The war between The Suevi and the Hasdingi Vandals, were the first resisted with Roman aid, in 419.
• The war between the Alans and the Suevi and Romans, were the last two are defeated at the Battle of Mérida, in 428.
• The war between the Visigoths and the Vandal-Alanic alliance, that ended in 429, with most of the Vandals and Alans moving to North Africa.
• The on and off continuous dynastical disputes between the Suevi.
• The on and off continuous war between the Suevi and the Visigoths, that ended when the Visigothic king, Liuvigild, conquered the Suevic kingdom in 585.
• The war between the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania and the Byzantine Empire in its southern Iberian province of Spania, from 552 until 624.
• The dynastic and civil war in the Visigothic Kingdom between the supporters of Achila II (controlling most of eastern Hispania) and Roderic (controlling most of western Iberia).

[edit] Islamic Expansion

• The Moorish Umayyad conquest of Hispania, from 711 to 718, taking advantage of the civil war, and that established the Islamic Al Andalus.
• The Reconquista , from 722, initially lead by Pelagius of Asturias, until 1249 (in Portugal only), the Christian reaction to the Muslim invasion in which several Christian kingdoms slowly expanded themselves over Iberia at the expense of the Moorish states of Al-Andalus, and in the context of which Portugal emerges as an autonomous entity as the First County of Portugal, in 868, when Count Vímara Peres conquers the area from the Minho River to the Douro River, including the city of Portus Cale, from where the name and political entity of Portugal issued.

[edit] Portuguese Reconquista (868-1249)

v • d • e Reconquista Covadonga – Clavijo – Albelda – Monte Laturce – Valdejunquera – Simancas – Estercuel – Torrevicente – Cervera – Calatañazor – Torà – Albesa – Graus – Barbastro – Cabra – Morella – Sagrajas – Alcoraz – Uclés – Cutanda – Ourique – Montiel – Lisbon – Alarcos – Las Navas de Tolosa – Jerez – Teba – Río Salado – Granada

[edit] First County of Portugal and County of Coimbra

[edit] Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal

[edit] Second County of Portugal

[edit] Kingdom of Portugal

• Siege of Lisbon

[edit] After the Reconquista - conflicts with Castile

[edit] 1383–1385 Crisis

[edit] Anglo-Portuguese Alliance

[edit] Imperial expansion

v • d • e Portuguese Empire North Africa  15th century 1415–1640  Ceuta 1458–1550  Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir) 1471–1550  Arzila (Asilah) 1471–1662  Tangier 1485–1550  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1487– middle 16th century  Ouadane 1488–1541  Safim (Safi) 16th century 1505–1769  Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir) 1506–1525  Mogador (Essaouira) 1506–1525  Aguz (Souira Guedima) 1506–1769  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1513–1541  Azamor (Azemmour) 1577–1589  Arzila (Asilah) Sub-Saharan Africa  15th century 1455–1633  Arguin 1470–1975  São Tomé1 1474–1778  Annobón 1478–1778  Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637  Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642  Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550  Madagascar (part) 1498–1540  Mascarene Islands 16th century 1500–1630  Malindi 1500–1975  Príncipe1 1501–1975  Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659  St. Helena 1503–1698  Zanzibar 1505–1512  Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511  Socotra 1557–1578  Accra 1575–1975  Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974  Cacheu2 1593–1698  Mombassa (Mombasa) 17th century 1642–1975  Cape Verde 1645–1888  Ziguinchor 1680–1961  São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974  Bissau2 18th century 1728–1729  Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975  São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974  Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975  Portuguese Congo (Cabinda) 1 Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753.   2 Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879. Southwest Asia  16th century 1506–1615  Gamru (Bandar-Abbas) 1507–1643  Sohar 1515–1622  Hormuz (Ormus) 1515–1648  Quriyat 1515–?   Qalhat 1515–1650  Muscat 1515?–?   Barka 1515–1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah) 1521–1602  Bahrain (Muharraq and Manama) 1521–1529?  Qatif 1521?–1551? Tarut Island 1550–1551  Qatif 1588–1648  Matrah 17th century 1620–?   Khor Fakkan 1621?–?   As Sib 1621–1622  Qeshm 1623–?   Khasab 1623–?   Libedia 1624–?   Kalba 1624–?   Madha 1624–1648  Dibba Al-Hisn 1624?–?   Bandar-e Kong Indian subcontinent  15th century 1498–1545  Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep) 16th century Portuguese India    1500–1663  Cochim (Kochi)    1502–1661  Quilon (Coulão/Kollam)    1502–1663  Cannanore (Kannur)    1507–1657  Negapatam (Nagapatnam)    1510–1962  Goa    1512–1525  Calicut (Kozhikode)    1518–1619  Paliacate (Pulicat)    1521–1740  Chaul    1523–1662  Mylapore    1528–1666  Chittagong    1534–1601  Salsette Island    1534–1661  Bombay (Mumbai)    1535–1739  Baçaím (Vasai-Virar)    1536–1662  Cranganore (Kodungallur)    1540–1612  Surat    1548–1658  Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)    1559–1962  Daman and Diu    1568–1659  Mangalore    1579–1632  Hugli    1598–1610  Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) 1518–1521  Maldives 1518–1658  Portuguese Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1558–1573  Maldives 17th century Portuguese India    1687–1749  Mylapore 18th century Portuguese India    1779–1954  Dadra and Nagar Haveli East Asia and Oceania  16th century 1511–1641  Portuguese Malacca 1512–1621  Banda Islands 1512–1621  Moluccas (Maluku Islands)    1522–1575  Ternate    1576–1605  Ambon    1578–1650  Tidore 1512–1665  Makassar 1553–1999  Macau 1533–1545  Ningbo 1571–1639  Decima (Dejima, Nagasaki) 17th century 1642–1975  Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Macau    1864–1999  Coloane    1849–1999  Portas do Cerco    1851–1999  Taipa    1890–1999  Ilha Verde 20th century Macau    1938–1941  Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin) 1 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world. North America and the North Atlantic Ocean  15th century 1420           Madeira 1432           Azores 16th century 1500–1579?  Terra Nova (Newfoundland) 1500–1579?  Labrador 1516–1579?  Nova Scotia Central and South America  16th century 1500–1822  Brazil 1536–1620  Barbados 17th century 1680–1777  Nova Colônia do Sacramento 19th century 1808–1822  Cisplatina (Uruguay) Portuguese colonization of the Americas Theory of Portuguese discovery of Australia

• Portuguese intervention on Ethiopia (Ethiopian-Adal War)
  • 1541 - Battle of Sahart
  • 1542 - Battle of Jarte
  • 1542 - Battle of Wofla
  • 1543 - Battle of Wayna Daga - A combined army of Ethiopian and Portuguese troops defeated a Muslim army led by Ahmed Gragn.
• Portuguese conquest of Jaffna Kingdom
• Dutch-Portuguese War
• Battle of Alcácer Quibir
• Guarani War
• Turkish-Portuguese Wars
  • Turkish-Portuguese War (1509)
  • Conquest of Tunis (1535)
  • Turkish-Portuguese War (1538–1557)
  • Turkish-Portuguese War (1558–1566)
  • Turkish-Portuguese War (1580–1589)
  • Turkish-Venetian War (1714–1718)

[edit] Conflicts with Spain

• 1580 Portuguese succession crisis
• Battle of Ponta Delgada
• Portuguese Restoration War
• War of the Spanish Succession
• Spanish-Portuguese War, 1735-1737
• Spanish-Portuguese War, 1761-1763
• Spanish-Portuguese War, 1776-1777

[edit] Other European conflicts

• Nine Years' War
• Seven Years' War
  • Fantastic War

[edit] The Napoleonic Wars

[edit] War of the Oranges (1801)

[edit] Instability prior to the French invasions

[edit] Riots of Campo de Ourique (1802-1803)

[edit] Conspiracy of the Marquis of Alorna (1802)

[edit] Conspiracy of Mafra (1805)

[edit] Riots of Saint Torcato (1805)

[edit] Peninsular War (1807-1814)

[edit] First invasion

During the Napoleonic Wars, Portugal was, for a time, Britain's only ally on the continent. Throughout the war, Portugal maintained a military of about 200-250 thousand troops worldwide. In 1807, after the Portuguese government's refusal to participate in the Continental System, French troops under General Junot invaded Portugal, taking Lisbon. However, a popular revolt against Junot's government broke out in the summer of 1808 and Portuguese irregulars took up arms against the French. This enabled a British army under Arthur Wellesley to be landed in Portugal where, aided by Portuguese troops, he defeated Junot at the Battle of Vimeiro; this first French invasion was ended by the Convention of Sintra negotiated by his superiors, which shamefully allowed Junot's men to withdraw unmolested with their plunder. Meanwhile the general revolt against the French in Spain led to the landing of Sir John Moore in the north of that country, forcing Napoleon himself to lead an army into the Peninsula. Though Moore was killed the British managed to extricate themselves from the Peninsula in the Battle of La Coruña. Portugal itself, however, remained independent of the French, and Napoleon left things in the Iberian Peninsula in the hands of Marshal Soult.

[edit] The Second and Third invasions

Soult proceeded to invade Portugal in the north. However, the Portuguese held on, giving the British the impetus to send Wellesley back with additional regiments of troops to help recover the Iberian peninsula. Wellesley, aided by the remaining Portuguese regiments hastily scraped together and by Spanish guerrillas, liberated Portugal. A third invasion took place, led by Marshal Andre Masséna. The Anglo-Portuguese forces managed to halt the French advance at the fortifications of Torres Vedras and successfully defeat Masséna's troops, and slowly recovered the Iberian peninsula. Wellesley was made Duke of Wellington in recognition of his services. The Portuguese army was put under the command of Marshal Beresford and was most heavily engaged under his leadership in the bloody Battle of Albuera. Portuguese forces also formed part of Wellington's advance into southern France, 1813-14.

• Lines of Torres Vedras

[edit] Persecutions of the Setembrizada (1809-1810)

[edit] British de facto occupation

[edit] Conspiracy of Gomes Freire (1817)

[edit] Civil Wars (1820-1851)

[edit] Liberal Revolution (1820)

[edit] Martinhada (1820)

[edit] Riots of 1821

[edit] Conspiracy of Major Pimenta (1821)

[edit] Conspiracy of Formosa street (1822)

[edit] Riots of the 24th and 10th Infantry Regiments (1822)

[edit] Riots in Castelo Branco and S. Miguel d'Acha (1822)

[edit] Saldanha's coup d'état (1822)

[edit] Rebellion of the Count of Amarante (1823)

[edit] The Vilafrancada (1823)

[edit] Conspiracy of Elvas (1823)

[edit] The Abrilada (1823)

[edit] Disturbances of 1826-1827

• Riots of Trás-os-Montes
• Sublevation of the Royal Police Guard
• Rebellion of Algarve and Alentejo
• Archotada
• Miguelite riots in Coimbra

[edit] The Liberal Wars (1828-1834)

After the Napoleonic War, the British ruled Portugal in the name of the absent king in Brazil, with Beresford as de facto Regent, until the revolution of 1820 when they were driven out and the king returned as a constitutional monarch. Over the next 25 years the fledgling Portuguese democracy experienced several military upheavals, especially the Liberal Wars fought between the brothers Dom Pedro, ex-Emperor of Brazil and the absolutist usurper Dom Miguel. To assert the cause of the rightful Queen, his daughter Maria da Gloria, Pedro sailed from Terceira in the Azores with an expeditionary force consisting of 60 vessels, 7500 men including the Count of Vila Flor, Alexandre Herculano, Almeida Garrett, Joaquim António de Aguiar, José Travassos Valdez and a volunteer British contingent under the command of Colonels George Lloyd Hodges and Charles Shaw and effected a landing at Mindelo on the shores north of Oporto. On 9 July Oporto was taken by the liberal forces, who despite winning the Battle of Ponte Ferreira on 22-23 July were besieged in the city by the Miguelites for nearly a year until, in July 1833 the Duke of Terceira (as Vila Flor had now been created) was able to land in the Algarve and defeat Miguel's forces at the battle of Almada. Meanwhile Miguel's fleet was comprehensively defeated by Pedro's much smaller squadron, commanded by Charles Napier, in the fourth Battle of Cape St. Vincent. The Miguelites were driven out of Lisbon but returned and attacked the city in force, unsuccessfully. Miguel was finally defeated at the Battle of Asseiceira, 16 May 1834, and capitulated a few days later at Évora. He was exiled, though his supporters continued to plot for his return and cause trouble up to the 1850s.

• Liberal revolt in Porto (1828)
• Belfastada (1828)
• Revolt of the Royal Navy Brigade (1829)
• Revolt of Lisbon (1831)
• Revolt of the 2nd Infantry Regiment (1831)
• Siege of Porto and civil war (1832-1833)

[edit] Coup attempt of 1835

[edit] Guerrilla of the Remexido (1835-1838)

[edit] Other Guerrillas

• Guerrilla of Jorge Boto
• Guerrilla of Dom Manuel Martinini
• Guerrilla of Galamba
• Guerrilla of Father Góis
• Guerrilla of Milhundos
• Guerrilla of the Marçais
• Guerrilla of the Garranos
• Guerrilla of the Brandões
• Miguelite Guerrillas

[edit] September Revolution (1836)

[edit] Belenzada (1836)

[edit] Conspiracy of the Marnotas (1837)

[edit] Revolt of the Marshals (1837)

[edit] Massacre of Rossio and Riots of the Arsenal (1838)

[edit] Riots of Lisbon (1840)

[edit] Military Revolt of Castelo Branco (1840)

[edit] Coup of 1842

[edit] Revolt of the 26th Hunters Battalion (1842)

[edit] Military revolt of Torres Novas (1844)

[edit] Revolution of Maria da Fonte (1846)

[edit] Emboscada (1846)

[edit] Patuleia (1846-1847)

[edit] Revolt of Pinotes (1846)

[edit] Montaria (1847)

[edit] Conspiracy of the Hidras (1848)

[edit] Coup of the Regeneração (1851)

[edit] Colonizing Africa

In the 19th Century, Portugal became involved in the scramble for Africa, enlarging its territories in Angola, Mozambique, Portuguese Cabinda, and Guinea-Bissau.

[edit] British Ultimatum (1890)

[edit] Coup attempts during the last stages of the Monarchy

[edit] Republican insurrection of 1881

[edit] The Regicide of 1908

[edit] First Republic (1910-1926)

[edit] Revolution of 1910

[edit] Military instability and coup attempts during the First Republic

[edit] World War I (1916–1918)

[edit] German incursions in Mozambique

A raid by Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck's remaining troops evaded British troops and managed to penetrate relatively far into Mozambique, seizing arms, capturing troops, and sparking unrest among the population (African and European).

[edit] Europe

Portugal sent an Expeditionary Corps of two reinforced divisions (40,000 men) to France and Belgium, which fought alongside the British XI Corps. German offensives in the British sector hit the Portuguese hard, with one division destroyed in the Battle of La Lys, April 9, 1918, as it became known in Portugal, or Operation Georgette or the Battle of Estaires to the British. In the Treaty of Versailles, the Portuguese acquired the territory of Kionga from what was once German East Africa.

[edit] Estado Novo (1926-1974)

[edit] 28th May 1926 coup d'état

[edit] Military Dictatorship (1926-1933)

[edit] Involvement in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Salazar gave material and diplomatic aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces while maintaining a formal neutrality. A special volunteer force of 18,000, called Os Viriatos (in honour of Lusitanian leader and Portuguese legendary national hero Viriathus), led by regular army officers was recruited to fight as part of Franco's army, even if unofficially. When the civil war ended in 1939, Portugal and Spain negotiated the Treaty of Friendship and Nonaggression (Iberian Pact). The pact committed the two countries to defend the Iberian Peninsula against any power that attacked either country and helped to ensure Iberian neutrality during World War II.

[edit] World War II (1939-1945)

Although Portugal proclaimed neutrality in the conflict, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the Portuguese Timor colony in distant Oceania, killing thousands of natives and dozens of Portuguese. In response, the Portuguese civilians joined The Netherlands and Australia against the Japanese. See Battle of Timor.

[edit] NATO

[edit] Parachuters (1956)

[edit] Portuguese-Indian War (1961)

[edit] Background

Indian occupation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

[edit] Main events

Portuguese occupation of Portuguese India.

[edit] Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974)

Portugal remained steadfastly neutral in World War II, but became involved in counterinsurgency campaigns against scattered guerilla movements in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. Except in Portuguese Guinea, where the revolutionary PAIGC quickly conquered most of the country, Portugal was able to easily contain anti-government forces through the imaginative use of light infantry, home defense militia, and air-mobile special operations forces, despite arms embargoes from other European countries. During the counterinsurgency campaigns in Angola and Mozambique, Portugal was significantly aided by intelligence provided by native residents who did not support revolutionary forces. However, a left-wing military coup in Lisbon by Portuguese military officers in 1974 toppled the Caetano government and forced a radical change in government attitudes. Faced with international condemnation of its colonial policies and the increasing cost of administering its colonies, Portugal quickly moved to grant the remainder of its African colonies independence.

[edit] Commandos (1961)

[edit] Military coup attempts

[edit] Carnation Revolution (1974)

[edit] The "hot" years of the revolution (1974-1975)

[edit] International involvement (1991 to present)

Portugal was a founding member of NATO, and, although it had scarce forces, it played a key role in the European approaches. After 1991 Portugal committed several Infantry and Airlanding battalions to international operations. The Portuguese Army keeps soldiers in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and East Timor (around 6,000 men overall) and it has 128 Guardsmen military police in Iraq (Nasiriyah) under control of the Italian Army. Portugal also sent its soldiers to Afghanistan, which controlled the Kabul airport during 2005. As international observers, Portuguese were also in Croatia, Georgia and Western Sahara.

Portugal has also used its naval forces in recent NATO security operation aimed at combatting piracy in the East African coast. In May 2009 a naval vessel encountered an armed Somali pirate ship and arrested all occupants without any exchange of fire.

[edit] References

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007)

[edit] See also

v • d • e Topics related to Portugal History Timeline of Portuguese history · Kings of Portugal · Oestriminis & Ophiussa · Hispania · Lusitania & Gallaecia · Lusitanians · Suebi & Buri · Visigoths · First County of Portugal · Second County of Portugal · Establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal · Order of Christ · 1383–1385 Crisis · Battle of Aljubarrota · Consolidation of Portugal · Discoveries Odyssey · Treaty of Tordesillas · Portuguese Empire · 1755 Lisbon earthquake · Peninsular War · Liberal Wars · Estado Novo · Carnation Revolution · Military history Politics Constitution · Presidents of Portugal · Assembly of the Republic · Government of Portugal · Political parties · Council of State · Foreign relations · Elections · Political divisions · Flag & Coat of arms Geography Estrela Mtns. · Volcanoes · Gerês (National Park) · Regions · Islands (Azores · Madeira) · Rivers · Roman Geography of Portugal · Cities (Greater Lisbon · Greater Porto) · Municipalities · Exclusive Economic Zone Economy Euro (Portuguese coins) · Companies · Bank of Portugal · Economic history · Agriculture · Fishing · Euronext Lisbon (PSI-20) · Telecommunications · Transportation (Lisbon Metro · Porto Metro) Demographics Portuguese people · Languages (Portuguese & History of Portuguese · Mirandese · Barranquenho) · Immigration to Portugal Religion Lusitanian mythology · Catholic Church (Patriarch of Lisbon · Ecclesiastical history of Braga · Portuguese Inquisition · Our Lady of Fátima) · History of the Jews in Portugal & Belmonte Jews · Portuguese Inquisition · Islam in Portugal · Hinduism in Portugal Culture Music (Fado · Hip hop Tuga · Pimba · Portuguese rock · Portuguese guitar · Cavaquinho) · Literature · Cuisine · Wines (Port wine · Madeira wine · Verde wine) · Sport · Bullfighting · Architecture · Cinema · Higher education (Universities and colleges) · Science and technology · Monuments · Portuguese sidewalk Other List of Portuguese People · Portuguese birds · Internet · Scouting Federation of Portugal · LGBT rights · Lusophilia & Lusophobia · Lusophone & Lusitanic · Crime · Racism · Prostitution · Law enforcement See also: Portal

v • d • e Military history of Europe Sovereign states Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan3 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England • Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales) States with limited recognition Abkhazia2 · Kosovo · Nagorno-Karabakh1 · Northern Cyprus1 · South Ossetia2 · Transnistria Other entities  · Dependencies, autonomies, other territories Adjara1 · Adygea · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Åland · Azores · Bashkortostan · Chechnya · Chuvashia · Crimea · Dagestan · Faroe Islands · Gagauzia · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Ingushetia · Jan Mayen · Jersey · Kabardino-Balkaria · Kalmykia · Karachay-Cherkessia · Republic of Karelia · Komi Republic · Madeira · Isle of Man · Mari El · Mordovia · Nakhchivan1 · North Ossetia-Alania · Svalbard · Tatarstan · Udmurtia · Vojvodina 1 Geographically entirely in Asia, but nonetheless often considered European. 2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the border definitions. 3 Transcontinental country.