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North Africa
The conquest of Cueta on August 21, 1415 started the era of Portuguese expansion throughout the world.
Year: 1415
The conquest of Cueta on August 21, 1415 started the era of Portuguese expansion throughout the world. The reasons leading up to this event were complex, ranging from strategic-military to economic. The prestige desired by Dom João I and his sons and the new nobility; the war against the infidels reviving the ideals of the Crusades and reconquest; the interest in intercepting gold on its way to the town and the pillage inherent in conquest; the control of a strategic position between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic; the fight against piracy and support for Portuguese corsair activity – these were some of the reasons for an era of expansion that would later bring disastrous consequences.
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