Navigations - The Portuguese Discoveries and the Renaissance

A critical reassessment of world-shaping Portuguese voyages of discovery that places these quests in historical context.

The lasting impact of historic Portuguese voyages of discovery is unquestionable. The slave trade, the diaspora of the Sephardic Jews, and the intercontinental spread of plants and animals all make clear these voyages' long-term global significance. Navigations reexamines these Portuguese quests by placing them in their medieval and Renaissance settings. It shows how these voyages grew out of a crusading ethos, as well as long-distance trade with Asia and Africa and developments in map-making and ship design. Malyn Newitt also narrates these voyages of discovery in the framework of Portuguese politics, describing the role of the Portuguese ruling dynasty--including its female members--in the flowering of the Portuguese Renaissance, the creation of the Renaissance state with its distinctive ideology, and in the cultural changes that took place within a wider European context.

About the author

Malyn Newitt has taught at the universities of Rhodesia and Exeter, and until he retired was the Charles Boxer Professor of History at King’s College London. His many books include The Braganzas (Reaktion, 2019).

Product details

• Authors: Malyn Newitt
• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 01.04.2026
• EAN: 9781836392071
• ISBN: 978-1-83639-207-1
• No. of pages: 368
• Illustrations: 57 illustrations
• Subjects: History, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, HISTORY / Expeditions & Discoveries, Geographical discovery & exploration, c 1500 onwards to present day, Archaeology, Geographical discovery and exploration, History and Archaeology, Modern Period, C 1500 Onwards