John III of Portugal

John III (June 6, 1502–June 11, 1557; Portuguese: Jo?o III), nicknamed o Piedoso ("the Pious") was the fifteenth king of Portugal.

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Born in Lisbon, he was the son of King Manuel I and his queen consort, Maria of Aragon (the third daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain). John succeeded his father in 1521 at the age of 19.

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John III became king when the Portuguese Empire was at the height of its mercantile and colonial power, with its capital city of Lisbon occupying a position of new commercial importance. During his rule, Portuguese possessions were extended by further conquests in Asia and the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. John III's policy of reinforcing positions in India (such as Goa) secured Portugal's monopoly over the Moluccas spice trade.

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It was also during John's reign that the Portuguese first contacted China under the Ming Dynasty and Japan during the Muromachi period of Nanban, the first Western contacts. John abandoned Muslim territories in North Africa in favor of trade with India and investment in Brazil. He also intensified contacts with the Baltic region and the Rhineland in Europe in the hope of increasing Portuguese trade.

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John was responsible for the evangelization of the Far East and Brazil, partly through the introduction of the Jesuit missions. However, the Society of Jesus and the Portuguese Inquisition (introduced in 1536) had disastrous effects on the commercial prosperity and social stability of the Empire.

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In the later years of John's reign, Portugal fell into the stagnation that would also characterize the reign of John's grandson Sebastian, who succeeded him when John died of apoplexy in 1557.

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June 6: June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining....

June 11: June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining....

Portuguese: Portuguese is an adjective refering to matters related to Portugal. It may refer to the following articles:...

John III of Portugal related Images and Photos (experimental)

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George III of England Reigned 1760-1810	King Manuel Ii of Portugal Bidding Farewell to His Country 'Adeus Par Nunca Mais'	George III of England Depicted at the End of His Reign	The Madness of Isabel of Portugal c.1855