In the 16th century, Portugal was a major world power with a global empire. But by the 17th or 18th century it was no longer a significant power and was surpassed by many other European nations. What caused this decline? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

In the 16th century, Portugal was a major world power with a global empire. But by the 17th or 18th century it was no longer a significant power and was surpassed by many other European nations. What caused this decline?

by ajbrown141

terminus-trantor

Hi, sorry for the later reply. I wrote an answer to a similar question here: 16th century Portugal was a powerhouse; what happened over the following centuries that lead it to become the weak (militarily) country that it is today?