The Portuguese in West Africa, 1415-1670 brings together a collection of documents - all in new English translation - that illustrate aspects of the encounters between the Portuguese and the peoples of North and West Africa in the period from 1400 to 1650. This period witnessed the diaspora of the Sephardic Jews, the emigration of Portuguese to West Africa and the islands, and the beginnings of the black diaspora associated with the slave trade. The documents show how the Portuguese tried to understand the societies with which they came into contact and to reconcile their experience with the myths and legends inherited from classical and medieval learning. They also show how Africans reacted to the coming of Europeans, adapting Christian ideas to local beliefs and making use of exotic imports and European technologies. The documents also describe the evolution of the black Portuguese communities in Guinea and the islands, as well as the slave trade and the way that it was organized, understood, and justified.

This book presents documents that illustrate aspects of the encounters between the Portuguese and the peoples of North and West Africa from 1400 to 1650.

About the Author
Malyn Newitt is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Portuguese and Brazilian Studies at King's College London. He is the author or editor of twelve books on Portuguese colonial history, including A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion, as well as multiple journal articles.

Reviews
'... the book fills a significant gap. It will presumably reach a wide audience ... and should encourage interested readers to proceed from here to the sources themselves. ... it should also motivate scholars to complete for publication the translations of Alvares, Alvares de Almada, Lemos Coelho ...' The Journal of African History



Book Information
ISBN 9780521159142
Author Malyn Newitt
Format Paperback
Page Count 266
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 360g
Dimensions(mm) 226mm * 152mm * 18mm