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Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe

February 16, 2024

São Tomé and Príncipe islands were a colony of the Portuguese Empire from its discovery in 1470 until 1975, when independence was granted by Portugal.

Overseas Province of São Tomé and Príncipe
Província Ultramarina de São Tomé e Príncipe
1485–1975
Anthem: "Hymno Patriótico" (1808–1826)
Patriotic Anthem

"Hino da Carta" (1826–1911)
Hymn of the Charter

"A Portuguesa" (1911–1975)
The Portuguese
StatusColony of the Portuguese Empire (1485–1951)
Overseas province of the Portuguese Empire (1951–1975)
CapitalSão Tomé
0°13′47.500″N 6°35′50.752″E / 0.22986111°N 6.59743111°E / 0.22986111; 6.59743111
Common languagesPortuguese
Head of state 
• 1470–1481
Afonso V of Portugal
• 1974–75
Francisco da Costa Gomes
Governor 
• 1485–1490 (first)
João de Paiva
• 1974–75 (last)
António Elísio Capelo Pires Veloso
Historical eraImperialism
• Established
1485
• Independence of São Tomé and Príncipe
12 July 1975
CurrencySão Tomé and Príncipe escudo
ISO 3166 codeST
Today part ofSão Tomé and Príncipe

History edit

See also: Timeline of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe

The Portuguese explorers João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar discovered the islands around 1470,[1] which they found uninhabited.[2] The São Tomé island was named by the Portuguese in honor of Saint Thomas, as they discovered the island on his feast day, while the Príncipe island (Prince's island) was named in honor of Afonso, Prince of Portugal, his father's favorite.[1]

The first attempt of settlement in the islands began in 1485, when the Portuguese Crown granted to João de Paiva the São Tomé island. However, this attempt was not successful, because the settlers were unable to produce food in the specific conditions and climate that the islands offered, and because of the tropical diseases that affected the settlers.[1] It was only in 1493 when King John II of Portugal nominated Álvaro Caminha as captain-major of São Tomé island, that the first successful settlement was established.[1] Among these Portuguese settlers, there was a significant portion of criminals and orphans, as well as Jewish children taken from their parents to ensure that they were raised as Christians.[3] Settlement of the Príncipe island was initiated in 1500.[1]

In the following years, the Portuguese settlers started to import large numbers of slaves from mainland Africa to cultivate the rich volcanic soil of São Tomé island with highly profitable sugar cane. By the middle of the 16th century São Tomé generated enormous wealth to Portugal when it became the world's largest producer of sugar.[4] The islands humid climate allowed the quick growth of sugar, but prevented the production of higher quality white sugar.[5]

In the first decade of the 17th century, the competition of sugar plantations from the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the frequent slave revolts that occurred in the island, begun to slowly hurt the sugar crop cultivation,[1] This meant the decline of sugar production, and the shifting of the local economy towards the slave trade, who remained mostly in the hands of the local mestiço population.[2][4] The geographical location of the islands made them a crucial trading post of the transatlantic slave trade, as they served as an assembly point of the slaves brought from the Gulf of Guinea and the Kingdom of Kongo and destined to the Americas.[4][6]

The Dutch occupied the São Tomé island in 1641, until 1648 when the Portuguese took back the island.[6] The Dutch, however, did not take Príncipe island.[6]

Most Portuguese settlers married African women. Europeans never numbered more than 1000 at their peak in the 16th century, and by the 18th century, prosperous and influential local Afro-Portuguese mulatos came to fill important local positions, such as cathedral chapter and the town-hall, into which they had been admitted as early as 1528.[7] Some were indistinguishable from mainland native Africans, and claimed to be brancos da terra, literally, "the land's whites" on account of their ancestry.[8]

In 1753, because of the frequent attacks by pirates and corsairs, the capital of the São Tomé island was transferred to Santo António on Príncipe, and the islands started being ruled as a single colony, with only one Governor.[4] It was only in 1852 when the capital was transferred back to São Tomé island.[9]

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Portuguese introduced coffee and cocoa in extensive large-scale plantations called roças, thus giving a great boost to the economy. The coffee production cycle ended in the late 19th century, when it was replaced by cocoa as the islands' main production. São Tomé and Príncipe then became a major global cocoa production area for several generations, and in the first decades of the 20th century, it was frequently the world's annual number one cocoa producer.[2]

In 1972, a nationalist political party of Marxist ideology, the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), was created by exiles in Equatorial Guinea with the intent of creating an independent nation. The Carnation Revolution in 1974 ended the Estado Novo dictatorship in Portugal and initiated a process of decolonization of the Portuguese colonies in Africa. On 12 July 1975, the new Portuguese regime granted independence to São Tomé and Príncipe.[6]

 
Proposed flag for Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe

Gallery edit

  •  
    A plantation train in 1910.
  •  
    A street in São Tomé, in 1941–1942.
  •  
    São Tomé, 1941–1942.
  •  
    Marketplace in São Tomé, 1941-1942
  •  
    Vila Trindade 1941-1942
  •  
    São Tomé landscape

Colonial architecture edit

  •  
    Fort São Sebastião.
  •  
    Supreme Court of São Tomé.
  •  
    Presidential Palace.
  •  
    Residential home.
  •  
    Highschool.
  •  
    Plantation house of São João dos Angolares
  •  
    Cathedral of São Tomé
  •  
    Former Misericórdia

Currency edit

  •  
    1970 coin of 50 escudos from São Tomé.


See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Francisco, Agostinho, p.24
  2. ^ a b c Grivetti, Shapiro, p. 1849
  3. ^ Greene, Morgan, p.85
  4. ^ a b c d Greene, Morgan, p.86
  5. ^ Disney, p.112.
  6. ^ a b c d Huang, Morrissete, p. 970
  7. ^ Disney, p.111.
  8. ^ Disney, p.111.
  9. ^ McKenna, p.73

References edit

  • Jack P. Greene, Philip D. Morgan, Atlantic History: A Critical Appraisal (2008) ISBN 9780199886432
  • Richard M. Juang, Noelle Morrissette, Africa and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History (2008) ISBN 9781851094417
  • Louis E. Grivetti, Howard-Yana Shapiro, Chocolate: History, Culture, and Heritage (2011) ISBN 9781118210222
  • Albertino Francisco, Nujoma Agostinho, Exorcising Devils from the Throne: São Tomé and Príncipe in the Chaos of Democratization (2011) ISBN 9780875868486
  • Amy McKenna, The History of Central and Eastern Africa (2011) ISBN 9781615303229
  • Anthony Disney, A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire (2009)

February 16, 2024
portuguese, são, tomé, príncipe, são, tomé, príncipe, islands, were, colony, portuguese, empire, from, discovery, 1470, until, 1975, when, independence, granted, portugal, overseas, province, são, tomé, príncipeprovíncia, ultramarina, são, tomé, príncipe1485, . Sao Tome and Principe islands were a colony of the Portuguese Empire from its discovery in 1470 until 1975 when independence was granted by Portugal Overseas Province of Sao Tome and PrincipeProvincia Ultramarina de Sao Tome e Principe1485 1975Flag Coat of armsAnthem Hymno Patriotico 1808 1826 Patriotic Anthem source source track track track Hino da Carta 1826 1911 Hymn of the Charter source source track track track track track A Portuguesa 1911 1975 The Portuguese source source track track track track track track track track StatusColony of the Portuguese Empire 1485 1951 Overseas province of the Portuguese Empire 1951 1975 CapitalSao Tome0 13 47 500 N 6 35 50 752 E 0 22986111 N 6 59743111 E 0 22986111 6 59743111Common languagesPortugueseHead of state 1470 1481Afonso V of Portugal 1974 75Francisco da Costa GomesGovernor 1485 1490 first Joao de Paiva 1974 75 last Antonio Elisio Capelo Pires VelosoHistorical eraImperialism Established1485 Independence of Sao Tome and Principe12 July 1975CurrencySao Tome and Principe escudoISO 3166 codeSTSucceeded bySao Tome and PrincipeToday part ofSao Tome and Principe Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 2 1 Colonial architecture 2 2 Currency 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesHistory editSee also Timeline of Portuguese Sao Tome and Principe The Portuguese explorers Joao de Santarem and Pero Escobar discovered the islands around 1470 1 which they found uninhabited 2 The Sao Tome island was named by the Portuguese in honor of Saint Thomas as they discovered the island on his feast day while the Principe island Prince s island was named in honor of Afonso Prince of Portugal his father s favorite 1 The first attempt of settlement in the islands began in 1485 when the Portuguese Crown granted to Joao de Paiva the Sao Tome island However this attempt was not successful because the settlers were unable to produce food in the specific conditions and climate that the islands offered and because of the tropical diseases that affected the settlers 1 It was only in 1493 when King John II of Portugal nominated Alvaro Caminha as captain major of Sao Tome island that the first successful settlement was established 1 Among these Portuguese settlers there was a significant portion of criminals and orphans as well as Jewish children taken from their parents to ensure that they were raised as Christians 3 Settlement of the Principe island was initiated in 1500 1 In the following years the Portuguese settlers started to import large numbers of slaves from mainland Africa to cultivate the rich volcanic soil of Sao Tome island with highly profitable sugar cane By the middle of the 16th century Sao Tome generated enormous wealth to Portugal when it became the world s largest producer of sugar 4 The islands humid climate allowed the quick growth of sugar but prevented the production of higher quality white sugar 5 In the first decade of the 17th century the competition of sugar plantations from the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the frequent slave revolts that occurred in the island begun to slowly hurt the sugar crop cultivation 1 This meant the decline of sugar production and the shifting of the local economy towards the slave trade who remained mostly in the hands of the local mestico population 2 4 The geographical location of the islands made them a crucial trading post of the transatlantic slave trade as they served as an assembly point of the slaves brought from the Gulf of Guinea and the Kingdom of Kongo and destined to the Americas 4 6 The Dutch occupied the Sao Tome island in 1641 until 1648 when the Portuguese took back the island 6 The Dutch however did not take Principe island 6 Most Portuguese settlers married African women Europeans never numbered more than 1000 at their peak in the 16th century and by the 18th century prosperous and influential local Afro Portuguese mulatos came to fill important local positions such as cathedral chapter and the town hall into which they had been admitted as early as 1528 7 Some were indistinguishable from mainland native Africans and claimed to be brancos da terra literally the land s whites on account of their ancestry 8 In 1753 because of the frequent attacks by pirates and corsairs the capital of the Sao Tome island was transferred to Santo Antonio on Principe and the islands started being ruled as a single colony with only one Governor 4 It was only in 1852 when the capital was transferred back to Sao Tome island 9 At the beginning of the 19th century the Portuguese introduced coffee and cocoa in extensive large scale plantations called rocas thus giving a great boost to the economy The coffee production cycle ended in the late 19th century when it was replaced by cocoa as the islands main production Sao Tome and Principe then became a major global cocoa production area for several generations and in the first decades of the 20th century it was frequently the world s annual number one cocoa producer 2 In 1972 a nationalist political party of Marxist ideology the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe MLSTP was created by exiles in Equatorial Guinea with the intent of creating an independent nation The Carnation Revolution in 1974 ended the Estado Novo dictatorship in Portugal and initiated a process of decolonization of the Portuguese colonies in Africa On 12 July 1975 the new Portuguese regime granted independence to Sao Tome and Principe 6 nbsp Proposed flag for Portuguese Sao Tome and PrincipeGallery edit nbsp A plantation train in 1910 nbsp A street in Sao Tome in 1941 1942 nbsp Sao Tome 1941 1942 nbsp Marketplace in Sao Tome 1941 1942 nbsp Vila Trindade 1941 1942 nbsp Sao Tome landscapeColonial architecture edit nbsp Fort Sao Sebastiao nbsp Supreme Court of Sao Tome nbsp Presidential Palace nbsp Residential home nbsp Highschool nbsp Plantation house of Sao Joao dos Angolares nbsp Cathedral of Sao Tome nbsp Former MisericordiaCurrency edit nbsp 1970 coin of 50 escudos from Sao Tome See also editList of governors of Portuguese Sao Tome and PrincipeNotes edit a b c d e f Francisco Agostinho p 24 a b c Grivetti Shapiro p 1849 Greene Morgan p 85 a b c d Greene Morgan p 86 Disney p 112 a b c d Huang Morrissete p 970 Disney p 111 Disney p 111 McKenna p 73References editJack P Greene Philip D Morgan Atlantic History A Critical Appraisal 2008 ISBN 9780199886432 Richard M Juang Noelle Morrissette Africa and the Americas Culture Politics and History 2008 ISBN 9781851094417 Louis E Grivetti Howard Yana Shapiro Chocolate History Culture and Heritage 2011 ISBN 9781118210222 Albertino Francisco Nujoma Agostinho Exorcising Devils from the Throne Sao Tome and Principe in the Chaos of Democratization 2011 ISBN 9780875868486 Amy McKenna The History of Central and Eastern Africa 2011 ISBN 9781615303229 Anthony Disney A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Portuguese Sao Tome and Principe amp oldid 1202595994, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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