History of the Azores

Old map of the Azores. Around 1584.

The exact date of the discovery of the Azores is unknown. In 1432, Portuguese Gonçalo Velho Cabral discovered the island of Santa Maria, on which Portuguese or Flemish sailors landed already in 1457. The colonization of uninhabited islands began in 1439, when the first people arrived, mainly from the provinces of the Algarve and Alentejo . In the following centuries, the islands were inhabited by residents of European countries, mainly northern France and Flanders .

After Santa Maria, San Miguel and Terceira were discovered. Then the central group of islands was discovered: Graciosa , São Jorge , Pico and Fayal . The last in 1452 were discovered by Corvo and Florish . In 1439, Praia dos Lobos was founded. The first capital of the island of San Miguel was Vila Franca do Campo. In 1552, Vila Franca was destroyed by a strong earthquake , Ponta Delgada became the new capital of the island.

The third island was discovered an island originally named the island of Jesus Christ, later renamed Terceira. The file, mentioned in old letters and designated on the navigational charts as “Insule de venture”, may have been opened in the first half of the 15th century . On the northern coast of Faial, there is a settlement founded in 1460 by colonists who arrived here from northern Portugal. The remaining 2 islands, included in the eastern group of islands, were discovered last. Florisch and Corvo were discovered around 1452 by Diogue di Teive and his son Juan di Teive. Initially, the island of Florish was called the island of St. Thomas and St. Irina, but due to the fact that wild mustard (a yellow plant) grew on it in excess, the island was renamed to more appropriate - "Florish". In 1470, the island was visited by the Flemish aristocrat Willem van der Hagen.

In the years 1580-1640, the Azores, in connection with the weakening of the power of Portugal in its dominions, was ruled by Spain . At this time, fierce battles between the Spanish and English pirates took place near the islands. The economic prosperity of the islands was facilitated by Portugal's independence and the accession to the throne of the Braganza dynasty in 1640. Since the Azores occupied an advantageous strategic position, in the XVI-XVII centuries they turned into the center of shipping in Europe, Africa, the East and America.

The prosperity of the islands began after the French invasion of the Iberian Peninsula and the evacuation of Juan VI by ship to Brazil, when trade restrictions were removed. The civil war in Portugal, which began in 1820, greatly affected the lives of the people of the Azores. In 1829, the Liberals defeated the absolutists in power in the elections in Vila da Praia . As a result, a new regime was established in Portugal. On the island of Terceira is the headquarters of the liberals, as well as the Regency Council, the head of which was appointed Mary II .

In the years 1836-1976, the archipelago was divided into 3 districts that had the same rights as the districts located on mainland Portugal. The division was arbitrary and did not depend on the number of island groups. The Angra district included: Terceira, São Jorge and Graciosa, the capital of the district was Angra do Heroismo , located on the island of Terceira. Horta district included: Piku, Fayal, Florish and Corvo, the capital of the district was Horta . The district of Ponta Delgada included: San Miguel and Santa Maria, the capital of the district was the city ​​of the same name .

In 1976, the Azores received the status of an autonomous region of Portugal, the counties were liquidated.