How does a nation extract itself from an unwanted union?
On May 23, 1618 in Prague, the chief Protestants of Bohemia threw out of the window three Catholic regents of the Holy Roman Emperor. And on December 1, 1640, The
Why is October 5 a national holiday?
The Portuguese First Republic lasted for less than 16 years before it was replaced by a military dictatorship on May 28, 1926. These 16 years were characterised by political upheaval,
D Carlos I and the Sud-Express
In the late 19th century, rail travel was the only means for travelling quickly around Europe, since there were no aeroplanes and few cars. The Portuguese monarch who travelled most
Let the train take the strain
The opening of Portugal’s first passenger railway on October 28, 1856 was not auspicious. The line operated by a private company (Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) stretched from Lisbon
Ferragudo 500 years back in time
We feel connected with Ferragudo, with the village and its inhabitants. It was with great pleasure and dedication that we started looking for the roots of this special village. These
Catastrophic windstorm hits the Iberian Peninsula
It is now nearly 80 years ago that the most devastating windstorm recorded in Portugal hit the Iberian Peninsula. On February 15-16, 1941, strong winds, usually referred to as a
Masking the emotions
The new normal is for us all to wear a mask and, in the few times since March that I have ventured into this ‘new world’ for food shopping or
Lockdowns revisited
In common with many European towns in the medieval period, the people in Portuguese towns periodically suffered from attacks of various diseases. Cholera was a particular problem in the 19th
Thank you, Aristides de Sousa Mendes
Last month I wrote about Aristides de Sousa Mendes who saved thousands of people fleeing the Nazi invasion of 1939 by issuing them visas into Portugal. His story is one
The Importance of Portugal Day, June 10
Only a week after the Implantation of the Republic on October 5, 1910, the Provisional Government cancelled 14 religious holidays and instituted five secular bank holidays in order to create