The New Land: A Portugese new world

Solarius

I'm revamping an old timeline of mine, so here it goes. The POD is that John II of Portugal accepts Colombus' request for an expedition to the new world.

Part 1
Colombus arrived in Trindade (Hispainiola) in June 1486. He and his 2 ships (King John had been rather stingy) landed and began exploring. Colombus They soon ran into the Tainos rather quickly, and Colombus initially had a high opinion of the Tainos. This would soon change. After departing from Hispaniola, He journeyed southwards (altough he he did leave some men behind for a town) and landed in Granada, which was then called Lisboa (Puerto Rico). From there, he headed back home.
John II was pleased by the results of Colombus' voyage, and financed another expedition almost instantly. Colombus' second expedition was much more important than the first, however. Colombus arrived in Trinidade hoping to find his village thriving. However, he found it weakened by Taino attacks, with only 10 men surviving. Colombus vowed revenge, and began to slay the surrounding Taino peoples. It was at this time that his village was named Saint Eustácio. After stoppin in St. Eustácio, Colombus heade westward, circling Saragoca( Cuba. This is a shortened and anglicized version of São Vicente de Saragoça, the islands original name) and Ursula (Jamaica) before going back to Saint Eustácio. From there, Colombus headed back to Portugal.
John II quickly saw the possibilities of these islands, and began to fund other expeditions to the Carribean. By 1495, Northeastern Trinidade was completely under Portugese control. The natives were being forced into slavery quickly, and were dying at a quick speed. Trinidade needed labor quickly. Two approaches would be used, both with mixed results.
The First approach was to use Jewish and Muslim slaves from Spain. Spain had just conquered Granada, and was perfectly willing to send them into slavery in the New World. These slaves were used in Trinidade and Ursula, but in Cordoba, these slaves were the most common sort.
The other approach was to use African slaves. Portugal had been exploring the coast of West Africa for many years, so this was fairly logical. This was the most common in Trinidade, Ursula, and Saragoca.
By 1500, Portugal controlled the entire Greater Antilles, as well as the João Islands(the Virgin Islands and Antigua). Portugal seemed to be in a great position. So why did Portugal lose the Indies?
 

elkarlo

Banned
I think that with the situation at that time the Port wouldn't have used slaves from Granada, just doesn't fit with the Port MO. Also the Port didn't have the population to support a two front colonial ent.
 

Solarius

elkarlo said:
I think that with the situation at that time the Port wouldn't have used slaves from Granada, just doesn't fit with the Port MO. Also the Port didn't have the population to support a two front colonial ent.
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Portugal has been neglecting the route to India for the time being. As for the slaves, the Granadan ones are fairly marginal. They only place were they make up the majority of slaves is Puerto Rico*
 

Nasei

Solarius said:
By 1500, Portugal controlled the entire Greater Antilles, as well as the João Islands(the Virgin Islands and Antigua). Portugal seemed to be in a great position. So why did Portugal lose the Indies?
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As well explorations, and maybe, some small settlements in Brazil and Newfoundland.
By then, even if the voyage to the Indian Ocean was delayed, the discoveries would be around the Cape of Good Hope.
Why would Portugal neglect the route to India, it was the final goal at that time?
 

Solarius

Part 2: The slave wars
In 1503, a man named Aafiya al-Dimashqi arrived in Cordoba in chains. Al-Dimashqi was forced to work on a plantation in the northwest. Al-Dimashqi was, like so many other slaves, wanted freedom. And among the slaves of the new world, he was first to act.He started to fight in 1505, and won Cordoban independence in 1506.The Cordoban revolution wasn't much of a fight. The slaves outnumbered the Portugese, and al-Dimashqi's capable leadership easily won the fight. Al-Dimashqi founded the Dimashqi dynasty, regarded by historians as the successor of Granada. Al-Dimashqi also was the one who renamed Lisboa, calling it Cordoba after the Caliphate of Cordoba.
The phenomenon of slave rebellions spread quickly. On Ursula, independence was successfully gained. The slaves of Trinidade revolted constantly, although these revolutions always failed.
Part 3: European happenings
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were savvy at politics. They carefully arranged marriages between their children and important European monarchs. Unfortunately, their plans went awry. Their daughter Joanna died in a storm while sailing to Flanders, while their son John died of Tuberculosis. Both died in 1496. This left only 3 children: Isabella, Maria, and Catherine. Isabella married Alfonso, the Prince of Portugal at first. However, Alfonso died so she married Manuel I. She had one child, whose name was Miguel. She died while giving birth to a second child, who also died. Maria married, but was unfertile. The only successful child of Ferdinand and Isabella was Catherine. She married Isabella ex-husband, and after he died, she was the de facto ruler of Portugal and Spain, which were united under the name Iberia.
 
Cuāuhtemōc

Cuāuhtemōc

Banned
Solarius said:
Part 2: The slave wars
In 1503, a man named Aafiya al-Dimashqi arrived in Cordoba in chains. Al-Dimashqi was forced to work on a plantation in the northwest. Al-Dimashqi was, like so many other slaves, wanted freedom. And among the slaves of the new world, he was first to act.He started to fight in 1505, and won Cordoban independence in 1506.The Cordoban revolution wasn't much of a fight. The slaves outnumbered the Portugese, and al-Dimashqi's capable leadership easily won the fight. Al-Dimashqi founded the Dimashqi dynasty, regarded by historians as the successor of Granada. Al-Dimashqi also was the one who renamed Lisboa, calling it Cordoba after the Caliphate of Cordoba.
The phenomenon of slave rebellions spread quickly. On Ursula, independence was successfully gained. The slaves of Trinidade revolted constantly, although these revolutions always failed.
Part 3: European happenings
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were savvy at politics. They carefully arranged marriages between their children and important European monarchs. Unfortunately, their plans went awry. Their daughter Joanna died in a storm while sailing to Flanders, while their son John died of Tuberculosis. Both died in 1496. This left only 3 children: Isabella, Maria, and Catherine. Isabella married Alfonso, the Prince of Portugal at first. However, Alfonso died so she married Manuel I. She had one child, whose name was Miguel. She died while giving birth to a second child, who also died. Maria married, but was unfertile. The only successful child of Ferdinand and Isabella was Catherine. She married Isabella ex-husband, and after he died, she was the de facto ruler of Portugal and Spain, which were united under the name Iberia.
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Decent update. Will Portugal crush these uprisings?
 

The Doctor

I'm playing a game of EUIII IN right now as portugal. It kinda similar to what you have here, except Spain or I have inherited the other. :( I keep hoping something like that will happen eventually though.

Anyway, I'm playing as Portugal and I have colonized all of North America. I own from New Brunswick/Nova Scotia all the way down through Florida, Gulf Coast, Mexico, and the top of South America. I also have all but a few of the Carribean islands. My territory also includes northern Morrocco, Menilla, Cuenta, Tangiers, Fez, and Figurig. Spain on the other hand has the crest or top of what is OTL Quebec, Newfoundland/labrador, all of South America except I have Rio. :D

I like your story, maybe you can use my map and modify it to fit your story?
 

Solarius

Thanks Everyone!

Portugal is focusing on North America for now because it thinks it is India. They have done a wee bit of exploration of the Yucatan coast. In parcticular, they think that Tulum is a rich Indian city.

As for the map, I would really like that!:)
 
Cuāuhtemōc

Cuāuhtemōc

Banned
Solarius said:
Thanks Everyone!

Portugal is focusing on North America for now because it thinks it is India. They have done a wee bit of exploration of the Yucatan coast. In parcticular, they think that Tulum is a rich Indian city.

As for the map, I would really like that!:)
Click to expand...

So when do the Portuguese figure that they're not in India? :confused:
 
Lusitania

Lusitania

Donor
Solarius said:
Thanks Everyone!

Portugal is focusing on North America for now because it thinks it is India. They have done a wee bit of exploration of the Yucatan coast. In parcticular, they think that Tulum is a rich Indian city.

As for the map, I would really like that!:)
Click to expand...

Okay, I never like to rain down on other people TL since I always enjoy positive suggestions and corrections but in reading your TL I find several ommissions and I think major errors.

Prince Henry the Navigator had assembled the most advanced geographical team with him in Sagres Portugal for their calculations did not coincide with Columbus' views about the size and distance to India. In 1490 we had finally reached the Indian Ocean by sailing south around Africa. Incidently we named the point sticking out of the land "Cabo the Boa Esperança" Cape Good Hope. The Portuguese had been living in the Azores since the 1430, there they would find strange woods washing up on shore. So by the time Columbus sailed to the new world and Spanish king wanted to claim all land west of the Azores the Portuguese demanded the border by 200 to the west thus receiving Brazil before actually arriving there in 1500.

So with this information and knowledge why would the Portuguese give up a known route to India for this gamble?

Also the only reason Spain became the powerhouse it became in the 16th and 17th century was the huge gold and silver from the Mexico and Peru. Without that there never would of been the huge impetous to explore and colonize.

Also what of Spain, without their own little backyard to playin (Americas) how will it react to the Portuguese discoveries. Everyone Spain, France and England all attempted to get to India and the Orient and the New World to them was just something to get around.
 
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