Algarve historian Peter Kingdon Booker will be discussing ‘The Dutch presence in the Portuguese Empire” at his next talk to be held in Tavira and Lagoa.
Although the Seven Provinces had claimed independence in 1581, the Netherlands formally became independent only at the Treaty of Munster in 1648. Yet from 1581, Dutch merchants began to infiltrate and from around 1600, Dutch warships began seriously to trouble the Portuguese regime in the east, and in Brazil and Angola. So widespread was the conflict that it has been referred to as the First World War.
What was it about the Portuguese Empire that invited attack by first the Dutch and then the English? What benefits did the Dutch gain, and why did some parts of the Portuguese Empire last for so long in spite of the Dutch attacks? And what was the Jewish connection?
Peter Booker took his degree in History from Pembroke College Cambridge and his MBA from the Open University. He spent most of his career working for British Coal.
He and his wife, Lynne, have lived in Portugal for 16 years and for nine years Peter has been giving talks on Portuguese history – mainly in the Algarve but also in Lisbon, Porto, and to the Anglo Portuguese Society in London.
He recently gave a paper on Anglo-Portuguese links at a symposium held at Hedingham Castle in Essex, and hosted by the Friends of the British Cemetery at Elvas.
The talk will be held first on Friday, November 21 in the Municipal Library of Tavira, at 11am, and on Tuesday, November 25, in the Municipal Library of Lagoa at 6pm.
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