Effects of a Portuguese Somalia?

Let's suppose that in this timeline, Portugal gets what would become Italian Somalia. Maybe Italy doesn't unify, or maybe it doesn't pursue colonies, maybe Portugal's previous endeavours in the region make them push for it in the Scramble; For some reason, Portugal is given a piece of the Horn of Africa.

What would be the effects of this? How might the Horn of Africa develop with a Portuguese colony?
 

Lusitania

Donor
Alright so if Italy not in play and no new players we have 3 pieces of Italian territory to divide up between same players. Libya, Eretria and Italian Somalia. The three were between French and English zones so they could of gone to them or even the Germans.

The Portuguese wanted the lands between Angola and Mozambique. To back up their claim they traded their claim in southern Senegal with France for their support of it. But English wanted it. So unless Portugal was willing to go to war they got kicked out.

As for Somália Sorry but portuguese had no prior claim and desire for this land.

Maybe if the French, English or Germans got these Italians lands it would of allowed the Portuguese to increase the size of Angola, Mozambique or even Portuguese Guinea. Alternatively increase size of Portuguese Gold Coast (ajuda) if we are giving Portugal more territory but none of the Italian zones.
 
Portugal did engage in conflict with the Ajuran Sultanate during the 16th century, and I suppose the easiest way to acquire Somalia would be to have the Portuguese win against the Sultanate and make it a vassal state. If this could be kept with Malindi and Mombasa, it would be part of a larger coastal sphere of influence over the Swahili City States in present-day Somalia and Kenya. If African history proceeds as IOTL they could probably spread their influence into the interior at some point, but I do not imagine this being a settler colony. It would be much like Portuguese Guinea, with a dominant capital city, with Mombasa being the most likely candidate.
 
If its acquired around the time of the Abyssinian-Adal War, a joint Portuguese-Ethiopian campaign could be launched against the Islamic states in the Horn of Africa which sees Ethiopia swell to her OTL borders (perhaps with Eritrea) as European advisors train a professional Ethiopian Army and the Portuguese become responsible for equipping Ethiopia. Ethiopia might become a de-facto Portuguese protectorate, depending on the extent of assistance and how willing the Portuguese are to continue expanding into the Horn of Africa but there would be no formal colony unless the Portuguese conquered Ethiopia. I can see Portugal acquiring the predominantly Somali regions (including a parcel of the Ogaden) of what would be Greater Somalia but they might manage expansion into the borders of Ethiopia IOTL.
 
Top