Publication Date
2009
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Situated off the coast of the Islamic republic of Mauritania at the coordinates of 20º40' N; 16º50 W, Arguin Island gained significance due to its function as a precursor to the development of Portuguese commerce along the African coast and was the site of the first Portuguese trading post on the West Coast of Africa.
In the years that followed the 1434 discovery of a passable route around Cape, Bojador, the Portuguese ships continued navigating south, along the saharan coast and, in less than a decade, had reached the coast of Mauritania. These voyages, which soon proved profitable through pirating and raiding, led to the exploration of the Gulf of Arguim and its islands in the 1440s, via various expeditions. The voyages undertaken by Nuno Tristão in 1443 and Gonçalo de Sintra in 1444 are most noteworthy.
Due to its privileged location and favorable natural conditions, Arguin island soon emerged as an auspicious location for establishing Portuguese interests. Arguin was in fact situated in a region that despite being sparsely populated was near the commercial routes travelled by the caravans of merchants who crossed the Sahara, approaching the coast frequently due to the abundance of salt in the area. It also benefited from its proximity to Ouadane, a major emporium in the interior of Africa, approximately 350 kilometers away. In addition, the island was endowed with a safe harbor, surrounding waters where fish abounded, and plentiful freshwater in its interior. These factors led to a significant position for Arguin as a Portuguese emporium soon after its discovery, which was reflected in its selection as the site for the first trading post built on the African Coast. In the mid 1450s, near this trading post, the construction of a fort was initiated, whose captaincy was granted to Soeiro Mendes de Évora in 1464.
Directed from the trading post, commerce, which reached its peak in the third quarter of the 15th century, essentially was founded on the redemption of merchandise carried by the Sudanese caravans: slaves, gold powder, and gum arabic. The merchandise was negotiated with the caravans in exchange for cloth, grains, and horses, which were brought by the Portuguese, often from the North African citadels.
In the 1840s, the fort was expanded by Dom João II, but Arguin would lose its centrality over the following years, as Portuguese commercial interests shifted to regions further south, especially to the coast of Guinea, where the gold and slave trades proved to be considerably more lucrative. This waning of Portuguese interest in the region, however, did not mean the end of commerce at the Arguin trading post, which despite considerable decline during the 16th century, operated until the island was taken by the Dutch in 1638.
Bibliography:
AMENDOEIRA, Rui, "Arguim" in Dicionário de História dos Descobrimentos Portugueses, vol.I, dir. Luís de Albuquerque e Francisco Contente Domingues, Lisboa, Caminho, 1994, pp. 83-84. DISNEY, A.R., "Engaging with Atlantic Africa" in A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire, vol. II, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2009, pp. 45-83. Nova História da Expansão Portuguesa, vol. II, coord. A. H. de Oliveira Marques, Lisboa, Estampa, 1998.
Translated by: Maria João Pimentel
In the years that followed the 1434 discovery of a passable route around Cape, Bojador, the Portuguese ships continued navigating south, along the saharan coast and, in less than a decade, had reached the coast of Mauritania. These voyages, which soon proved profitable through pirating and raiding, led to the exploration of the Gulf of Arguim and its islands in the 1440s, via various expeditions. The voyages undertaken by Nuno Tristão in 1443 and Gonçalo de Sintra in 1444 are most noteworthy.
Due to its privileged location and favorable natural conditions, Arguin island soon emerged as an auspicious location for establishing Portuguese interests. Arguin was in fact situated in a region that despite being sparsely populated was near the commercial routes travelled by the caravans of merchants who crossed the Sahara, approaching the coast frequently due to the abundance of salt in the area. It also benefited from its proximity to Ouadane, a major emporium in the interior of Africa, approximately 350 kilometers away. In addition, the island was endowed with a safe harbor, surrounding waters where fish abounded, and plentiful freshwater in its interior. These factors led to a significant position for Arguin as a Portuguese emporium soon after its discovery, which was reflected in its selection as the site for the first trading post built on the African Coast. In the mid 1450s, near this trading post, the construction of a fort was initiated, whose captaincy was granted to Soeiro Mendes de Évora in 1464.
Directed from the trading post, commerce, which reached its peak in the third quarter of the 15th century, essentially was founded on the redemption of merchandise carried by the Sudanese caravans: slaves, gold powder, and gum arabic. The merchandise was negotiated with the caravans in exchange for cloth, grains, and horses, which were brought by the Portuguese, often from the North African citadels.
In the 1840s, the fort was expanded by Dom João II, but Arguin would lose its centrality over the following years, as Portuguese commercial interests shifted to regions further south, especially to the coast of Guinea, where the gold and slave trades proved to be considerably more lucrative. This waning of Portuguese interest in the region, however, did not mean the end of commerce at the Arguin trading post, which despite considerable decline during the 16th century, operated until the island was taken by the Dutch in 1638.
Bibliography:
AMENDOEIRA, Rui, "Arguim" in Dicionário de História dos Descobrimentos Portugueses, vol.I, dir. Luís de Albuquerque e Francisco Contente Domingues, Lisboa, Caminho, 1994, pp. 83-84. DISNEY, A.R., "Engaging with Atlantic Africa" in A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire, vol. II, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2009, pp. 45-83. Nova História da Expansão Portuguesa, vol. II, coord. A. H. de Oliveira Marques, Lisboa, Estampa, 1998.
Translated by: Maria João Pimentel