Salazar’s rise to power
Dr António de Oliveira Salazar of Coimbra University took the first step into national politics on three separate occasions. Third time lucky In 1921, Salazar stood for election to the
The March on Rome viewed from Portugal
The aftermath of WW1 in Europe brought widespread political, economic and industrial unrest, and the various responses to that unrest would later precipitate Civil War in Spain in 1936 and
D. Dinis and his tomb
The Directorate-General of Cultural Heritage (DGPC) has announced a study of the tomb of one of Portugal’s greatest kings, D. Dinis (1261–1279–1325). He has been dubbed The Farmer King, The
Tavira – a dog’s eye view
Just published is a refreshingly irreverent view of the serious matter of the history of Tavira. Peter Bellchambers had the intriguing idea to present the history of this ancient town
Portugal’s secret police
It is well known that the Estado Novo, the new constitution introduced by Portugal’s dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, made provision for a secret police force. This police force was
Three Remarkable Escapes from Salazar´s Prisons
After the military coup of 1926, and during the Salazar dictatorship, there were dozens of prisons in Portugal and its Overseas Provinces dedicated to the incarceration of political prisoners. The