from the settlement of the Portuguese at Sofala in September 1505 to the conquest of the Cape Colony by the British in September 1795
by
George McCall Theal,Litt.D., LL.D.
Foreign member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, corresponding member of the Royal Historical Sociaty, London, and of the Geographical Society of Lisbon, etc., etc., etc.
In three volumes
with maps and plates
Vol. I
The Portuguese in South Africa from 1505 to 1795
Third edition, carefully revised and enlarged
London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Ruskin House40 Museum Street, W.C.1
First Edition
…
Sept. 1907
Second
〃
…
May 1910
Third
〃
…
Nov. 1916
(All rights reserved)
Notice.
As the chapters dealing with a description of the Bushmen,
Hottentots, and Bantu that appeared in previous editions
of this history have been greatly enlarged, and are now
published as a separate work entitled The Yellow and Dark-skinned People of Africa south of the Zambesi, I have
taken them out of this volume and have made use of the
space they occupied to add information upon subjects
closely connected with the occupation of part of South
Africa by the Portuguese. I have also indexed this volume
separately from the others of the series, in order to
avoid mixing Portuguese names with those of different
nationalities. Otherwise the alterations and additions made
in the text upon close revision have been very few indeed,
in many chapters none at all.
Geo. McCall Theal.
Wynberg, South Africa, April 1916.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
ACCOUNT OF PORTUGAL AND HER PEOPLE IN EARLY TIMES.
Importance of the discovery of an ocean road from Europe to India. — Ancient routes of Indian commerce. — Ignorance in geography of Europeans in the fifteenth century. — Condition of Portugal in a.d. 1400. — Earliest inhabitants of Portugal. — Occupation of the country by the Basques and later by the Celts. — Conquest by the Romans and its effects. — Conquest by the Visigoths and their settlement in the country. —Conquest by the Arabs. — Long struggle between the Christians and the Mohamedans. — Introduction of the feudal system of government in the newly formed Christian states. —Formation in A.D. 1095 of the county of Portugal. — Its subsequent elevation into an independent kingdom. — Its gradual enlargement under monarchs of the Burgundian dynasty. — Accession in a.d. 1385 of the first king of the dynasty of Avis. — His marriage with Philippa of Lancaster and alliance with England. — Wars with the Moors of Northern Africa.—Accession in a.d. 1481 of Joao II. — Destruction by him of
the feudal system. —Description of ships of that time. —
Habits of Portuguese seamen. —Their food at sea. —Crude
instrument used for determining latitudes. —Real and imaginary difficulties in the way of exploration Page ]
EXPLORATION BY THE PORTUGUESE OF THE WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA AND DISCOVERY OP THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
Account of Prince Henry the Navigator. — Discovery of the island of Porto Santo. — Exploration of the island of Madeira. — Colonisation of Madeira. — Discovery of the island Santa Maria
CONDITION OF THE SEABOARD OF EASTERN AFRICA AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
Knowledge of Eastern Africa and its people brought back by Vasco da Gama. — Knowledge obtained by subsequent visitors. — Origin of the Emozaidi. — Habits of those people. — Foundation of Magadosho and Brava by Arabs. — Discovery and occupation of Sofala. — Arrival on the coast of a party of Persians. — Foundation of Kilwa. — Visit of Ibn Batuta to Kilwa in a.d. 1330. — Quarrels between the different Asiatic settlers along the coast. — Conquest of Sofala by Kilwa. — Great power of Kilwa at one time. — Usurpation of the government of Kilwa by the emir Abraham. — Independence of Sofala under the sheik Isuf. — Commerce of the Asiatic settlements. — Utility of the cocoa palm. — Style of vessels in use by the Asiatics on the coast. — Method of navigation to India. — Articles obtained from India, Arabia, and Persia. — Commerce with the
Bantu. — Heavy taxes on trade. — Extent of government by the Asiatics. — Description of the Asiatic colonists. — Description of the mixed-breeds. — Description of Magadosho, Brava, Melinde, Mombasa, Pemba, Zanzibar, Mafia, Kilwa, Mozambique, the Zambesi river, Sofala, Tshiloane, the Bazaruta islands, and Inhambane in a.d. 1500. — Cause of Cape Correntes being the southern limit of navigation by the Asiatics. — Legends of vessels carried by storms beyond it. — Absence of commerce farther south owing to Bushmen being the only inhabitants ... ... ... ... ... ... ...Page 71
CHAPTER V.
SUCCEEDING VOYAGES AND CONQUESTS OF THE PORTUGUESE.
Despatch to India of a fleet under Pedro Alvares Cabral. — Discovery of South America. — Loss of four ships in a storm, one of them commanded by Bartholomeu Dias. — Occurrences at Kilwa. — Assistance obtained at Melinde. — Arrival of Cabral
