I know this something that possibly relates to this in Viriato's "Portuguese Southern Africa and America" timeline(s). Is that scenario outlined anywhere beyond the story thread, the wiki seems to just have a link to the main thread, not an outline of the timeline.
So for the sake of discussion, how plausible would the Portuguese colonizing the Cape itself, not just Angola and Mozambique, but the coastline between?
I would figure that the Portuguese would have the first-mover advantage, and yes, most Portuguese people and efforts would still flow primarily to the historical destinations in Africa and beyond, where there was much greater prospect of wealth to be had from trade.
However, it seems to be that a settler colony of Portuguese sherpherds, farmers and vintners could make brisk business provisioning Portuguese voyages around Africa.
And if started, even in a very small scale, Portuguese agriculture would be copy-and-paste-able on the Cape, and the population would rapidly grow based on natural increase in the more arid and temperate environment of the Cape than in Portugal's tropical outposts.
The Cape could become home to large mestizo population of Portuguese, African and Asian descent, and I would think the European contribution to the human gene pool on the Cape could be miles ahead of OTL's Dutch Cape by 1700, 1750 and 1800, given the Portuguese greater propensity to settle abroad than Dutch.
Eventually, this would lead to expansion past Natal, and the Orange and Vaal rivers. It's potential to grow as a pole of the Portuguese Empire would never match Brazil's, mainly because of the limits of the healthier zone south of the tsetse fly's range, but I think Portugal could be more likely to make South Africa into a bigger deal as a land of settlement than pretty much any other power.
Your thoughts?
So for the sake of discussion, how plausible would the Portuguese colonizing the Cape itself, not just Angola and Mozambique, but the coastline between?
I would figure that the Portuguese would have the first-mover advantage, and yes, most Portuguese people and efforts would still flow primarily to the historical destinations in Africa and beyond, where there was much greater prospect of wealth to be had from trade.
However, it seems to be that a settler colony of Portuguese sherpherds, farmers and vintners could make brisk business provisioning Portuguese voyages around Africa.
And if started, even in a very small scale, Portuguese agriculture would be copy-and-paste-able on the Cape, and the population would rapidly grow based on natural increase in the more arid and temperate environment of the Cape than in Portugal's tropical outposts.
The Cape could become home to large mestizo population of Portuguese, African and Asian descent, and I would think the European contribution to the human gene pool on the Cape could be miles ahead of OTL's Dutch Cape by 1700, 1750 and 1800, given the Portuguese greater propensity to settle abroad than Dutch.
Eventually, this would lead to expansion past Natal, and the Orange and Vaal rivers. It's potential to grow as a pole of the Portuguese Empire would never match Brazil's, mainly because of the limits of the healthier zone south of the tsetse fly's range, but I think Portugal could be more likely to make South Africa into a bigger deal as a land of settlement than pretty much any other power.
Your thoughts?