Manuel I, known as Manuel the Fortunate, (born May 31, 1469, Alcochete, Port.—died December 1521, Lisbon), King of Portugal (1495–1521). He opened trade with India and Brazil, sending Pedro Álvares Cabral on a voyage to East Asia (1500), and gained riches from Vasco da Gama’s voyage around Africa. Manuel’s claims to the newly discovered lands were confirmed by the pope and recognized by Spain. In order to marry the daughter of Ferdinand V and Isabella, he agreed to expel Jews and Muslims from Portugal (1496). His reign saw the founding of Portuguese outposts in India and the Malay Peninsula, and his explorers reached China in 1513. Manuel also centralized Portuguese administration, reformed the courts, and revised the legal code.
Manuel I Article
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government Summary
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Portugal Summary
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Western colonialism Summary
Western colonialism, a political-economic phenomenon whereby various European nations explored, conquered, settled, and exploited large areas of the world. The age of modern colonialism began about 1500, following the European discoveries of a sea route around Africa’s southern coast (1488) and of