How many Christian states were created by the Portuguese Empire against Islam and atheism in those times?

Question

CopticBot.ai · Accepted Answer

No precise number of independent “Christian states” can be given: the Portuguese generally established colonial territories rather than new independent nations. The answer identifies six examples of territories, strongholds, or alliances established or defended to advance Catholic influence, not six states created specifically against Islam and atheism.

During the era of the Portuguese Empire (roughly the 15th through the 20th centuries), the Portuguese did not typically create independent "Christian states" in the way modern nations are formed. Instead, they established a Global Maritime Empire (the Estado da Índia) consisting of overseas provinces, captaincies, and fortified city-states that served as bastions of the Catholic faith against Islamic powers and, later, secular or pagan entities. From the Coptic Orthodox perspective, we distinguish between the spread of the Gospel through witness (as the Apostles did) and the spread of political influence via colonial empires. Here are the key "Christian states" or territories established or defended by the Portuguese against Islamic and other forces: 1. The Estado da Índia (State of India) – Goa, India Opponent: The Bijapur Sultanate (Islamic) and later the Marathas. Established: 1510. Context: Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur. Goa became the center of Portuguese Christian influence in Asia. The Portuguese viewed this as a continuation of the Reconquista—the reclaiming of land from Islamic rule. They built grand cathedrals and established Goa as a "Rome of the East." 2. The Ethiopian Alliance (Defending a Christian State) Opponent: The Adal Sultanate (led by Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi). Time: 1541–1543. Context: While the Portuguese didn't "create" Ethiopia (which is one of the oldest Christian nations and our sister Church), they sent a military expedition of 400 musketeers under Cristóvão da Gama to save the Ethiopian Empire from a total Islamic conquest. Without Portuguese intervention, the ancient Christian heritage of Ethiopia might have been extinguished by the Adal Jihad. 3. Ceuta and the North African Strongholds Opponent: The Marinid Sultanate and various Moorish kingdoms. Established: 1415 (Ceuta), 1471 (Tangier). Context: This was the first step of Portuguese expansion. By taking Ceuta, the Portuguese established a Christian bridgehead in Africa specifically to counter Islamic piracy and to push back against the forces that had previously occupied the Iberian Peninsula. 4. Portuguese Brazil (Terra de Santa Cruz) Opponent: Primarily French Protestants (Huguenots) and later Dutch Calvinists, as well as indigenous groups. Established: 1500. Context: The Portuguese created a massive Christian territory in South America. They were particularly focused on preventing "Antarctic France" (a Protestant colony) from taking root, ensuring Brazil remained a Catholic Christian territory. 5. Malacca (Malaysia) Opponent: The Malacca Sultanate (Islamic). Established: 1511. Context: By conquering Malacca, the Portuguese broke the Islamic monopoly on the spice trade and established a Christian enclave in a strategic maritime chokepoint. 6. The Kingdom of Kongo (Christian Influence) Context: The Portuguese did not "conquer" Kongo initially but converted its king, Mvemba a Nzinga (Afonso I), to Christianity in the early 1500s. For a time, it functioned as a voluntary Black Christian kingdom allied with Portugal, though this later devolved into colonial exploitation and conflict. Summary of Their Strategy The Portuguese Empire operated under the Padroado (Patronage), a series of agreements with the Vatican that gave the Portuguese Crown the authority to manage the Church in their overseas territories. Their primary enemies were: 1. The Ottoman Empire and local sultanates: They fought constantly in the Indian Ocean to stop Islamic expansion. 2. Protestants (the Dutch and English): In the Coptic view, these were heretics who sought to undermine the established order for trade profits. 3. Atheism/Paganism: They viewed the conversion of non-believers as a divine mandate, though their methods often involved state force, which differs from the peaceful missionary tradition of the early Coptic Church. While the Portuguese were defenders of the Cross against Islamic encroachment, it is important to remember that their primary goal was often a mix of "God, Gold, and Glory."