What happens if Portugal finds the New World first?

What if Portugal goes westwards instead of eastwards. Their major breakthrough is to discover America instead of sailing south of Africa?

How would Spain react, and Portugal be able to conquer similar areas as Spain did OTL and keep it?

The reason I ponder this, is because I'm working on a TL where there is a succesful Vinland settlement, which starts trading a lot with Europe in the 1300s and the stories of gold in the south start leaking into Europe after 1400.

Now at this time Portugal seems to be the one most advanced in sailing, and if they are sure in 1400 that there is land in the west surely they'd go beyond the Azores.

I see England as a possibility as well, since it's English and Hanseatic traders that trade with the Vinlanders mostly. But it depends mostly on the initiative of rulers.

But anyway, the question, is, Portugal in new world 1420 or 1430, what next?

Though you may well ponder on other things as well and comment on whatever you wish to in connection to this.
 
What if Portugal goes westwards instead of eastwards. Their major breakthrough is to discover America instead of sailing south of Africa?

How would Spain react, and Portugal be able to conquer similar areas as Spain did OTL and keep it?

The reason I ponder this, is because I'm working on a TL where there is a succesful Vinland settlement, which starts trading a lot with Europe in the 1300s and the stories of gold in the south start leaking into Europe after 1400.

Now at this time Portugal seems to be the one most advanced in sailing, and if they are sure in 1400 that there is land in the west surely they'd go beyond the Azores.

I see England as a possibility as well, since it's English and Hanseatic traders that trade with the Vinlanders mostly. But it depends mostly on the initiative of rulers.

But anyway, the question, is, Portugal in new world 1420 or 1430, what next?

Though you may well ponder on other things as well and comment on whatever you wish to in connection to this.

I think it could be possible, but 1420-1430 is a bit early. The best chance for it would be some Portuguese ship sailing from Azores, but these islands only started to be colonised in the 1430's. Maybe in the next decade you could have a Portuguese ship deciding to explore the western waters, and by chance they reach some Caribbean island. However, to keep them there, the Portuguese would need to find something profitable, or they would just make a map, keep it in secret and abandon the islands.

During the 1440 the Portuguese were only starting the African exploration (Arguim, their first possession outside Morocco, was only conquered in 1445). So, if they find something profitable in the west, of they believe those islands are part of Asia, they may give up the idea of exploring Africa, and start to go westwards. The Cape of Good hope would be reached later than OTL.
 
Hi, here's a thought: maybe Portugues colonies would be more like trading outposts (most of them) and not the classic colonial empire (like New Spain). Most of Portuguese colonies were like that in OTL, I think.
P.S. Your Vinland TL is great. Keep it up.
 
Hi, here's a thought: maybe Portugues colonies would be more like trading outposts (most of them) and not the classic colonial empire (like New Spain). Most of Portuguese colonies were like that in OTL, I think.
P.S. Your Vinland TL is great. Keep it up.

Thanks, I will. I just haven't decided what should occur after 1400 so most posts that'd come up next will deal with cultural stuff and so on;)

Well one thing the Portuguese don't have the manpower of the Spanish, but in the case of America that might be less important, they might be succesful in conquering huge areas with very few men, but would they keep them for long?
 
The Portuguese eventually discovered that they could get around Africa best by swinging out west into the Atlantic, to avoid sailing into headwinds all the way down the coast. They found Brazil in OTL while making this westing. If some ship blown off course works out this idea earlier . . .
 
Well one thing the Portuguese don't have the manpower of the Spanish, but in the case of America that might be less important, they might be succesful in conquering huge areas with very few men, but would they keep them for long?

Well, OTL they held Brazil despite being attacked by French and Dutch, and even the territories conquered by the invaders they were able to retake, so they probably could do the same with Mexico or Peru. However, it's very unlikely they could hold all the area that belonged OTL to the Spanish America.
 

Thande

Donor
A reversed Torsedillas could be interesting, the Spanish in India etc (and perhaps Australia too) and the Portuguese colonising America - but not, as G. says, to the same extent as the Spanish in OTL, which gives more leeway for those surviving native American civilisations some people like to throw randomly into any timeline.
 
A reversed Torsedillas could be interesting, the Spanish in India etc (and perhaps Australia too) and the Portuguese colonising America - but not, as G. says, to the same extent as the Spanish in OTL, which gives more leeway for those surviving native American civilisations some people like to throw randomly into any timeline.

If there is ITTL a Spain as we know. After all, Portugal and Castille could very well be united by marriage (as it almost happened sometimes in OTL) and then "Portugal-Castille" would explore America, forgetting the navigation around Africa, that could be explored by someone else - England? France?
 

Thande

Donor
If there is ITTL a Spain as we know. After all, Portugal and Castille could very well be united by marriage (as it almost happened sometimes in OTL) and then "Portugal-Castille" would explore America, forgetting the navigation around Africa, that could be explored by someone else - England? France?

England in the role that in OTL went to the Netherlands, perhaps?

Would probably require a Yorkist victory in the Wars of the Roses, or at least a very different king after Henry VII - Arthur survives?
 

NapoleonXIV

Banned
My understanding is they did, but wanted to keep it secret. This explains why a Portugeuse squadron dogged Columbus in the beginning, tho not why they dropped off.

What might be interesting is if they sailed up the Amazon. These were expert sailors, quite capable of sailing against the Amazon current which drops only inches in several miles. It may seem ASB to think they could cross the Andes but the Spaniards did it so they could as well.

1420 does seem early, but the legendary voyage of the Englishman Henry Sinclair was reputed to take place in 1398.
 
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