John III of Portugal

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

Decline

Toward the end of John III's reign, Portugal entered a period of serious economic crises, leading to huge external debt and trade deficit. The extensive and dispersed Portuguese Empire was difficult and expensive to administrate. In the first years of John III's reign, explorations in the Far East continued and the Portuguese reached China and Japan; however, these accomplishments were offset by strengthened Turk pressure, especially in India where attacks became more frequent. The expense of defending Indian interests was huge, and to pay for it, John III abandoned a number of strongholds in North Africa (Safim, Azamor, Alcacer Ceguer and Arzila).

Related Topics:
External debt - Trade deficit - Portuguese Empire - Far East - China - Japan - Turk - India - North Africa - Safim - Azamor - Alcacer Ceguer - Arzila

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Portugal's Indian and Far Eastern interests grew increasingly chaotic under the poor administration of ambitious governors. John III responded with new appointments which proved troubled and short lived. The chaos reached a point where new governors had to fight their predecessor in some cases to fulfill their appointment. The chaos, poor administration and high turnover of governors brought on a decline of the Portuguese trade monopoly. Among John III's many governors of this region were Vasco da Gama, Henrique de Meneses, Pedro Mascaranhas, Lopo Vaz de Sampaio, Nuno da Cunha, Estêvão da Gama, Martim Afonso de Sousa and João de Castro.

Related Topics:
Vasco da Gama - Henrique de Meneses - Pedro Mascaranhas - Lopo Vaz de Sampaio - Nuno da Cunha - Estêvão da Gama - Martim Afonso de Sousa - João de Castro

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The establishment of the Society of Jesus in 1534, approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and the introduction of the Inquisition in 1536, a result of John's religious fanaticism, were also causes of the economic crisis of the country. John insisted so much in the introduction of the Inquisition that he spent enormous quantities of gold in embassies to the Pope. Directly the Inquisition had a huge negative impact in the Portuguese economy as many important Jewish merchants were killed or fled the country. The Society of Jesus had an extremely important role overseas, but internally it had a devastating impact erecting a great number of religious buildings using the gold of the Empire offered by John himself. The Jesuits also propitiated an environment of instability with some parts of the nobility, the majority of the existent religious orders, and with the Universities that saw it as a rival with religious fanaticism as motto.

Related Topics:
Society of Jesus - 1534 - Pope Paul III - 1540 - 1536 - Religious fanaticism - Jew - Merchant - Important role overseas - Nobility - Religious orders - Universities

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Overseas the Empire was threatened by the Turks in both the Indian Ocean and North Africa, and Portugal started to spend more in defense and fortifications. On the other side of Africa, in the Atlantic, alongside constant attacks of corsairs against Portuguese ships, an initial installation of French colonists in Brazil created another "front" the Portuguese needed to fight. The French made alliances with native South Americans against the Portuguese and military and political interventions were used. Eventually they were forced out but only in 1565.

Related Topics:
Indian Ocean - North Africa - Atlantic - Corsairs - French - 1565

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Another factor that makes John's reign the beginning of the decline of the Portuguese Empire is the dynastical crisis caused by his death with no children alive. The marriages of several princesses with Castilian, Aragonese and later Spanish husbands were a consequence of the annexation of Portugal by Philip II of Spain after the premature death of John's successor Sebastian I (his grandson) followed by the death of Cardinal Henry I (John's brother and Sebastian's successor).

Related Topics:
Castilian - Aragonese - Spanish - Philip II of Spain - Sebastian I - Henry I

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