Fun with Maps ISSUE 2025-029

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (February 13, 2025) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps, we look at the ever-present wars for independence around the world.

Portugal Independent Again

The European kingdoms’ soap opera, chapter 101.  Just kidding, this one is probably a higher number.

Fighting for position, prestige, land, taxes, colonies, and riches, the various European kingdoms and countries were at war with someone nearly all the time in recorded history.

However, on February 13, 1668, Portugal managed to free itself of Spain after about 60 years of rule.  On that day the Treaty of Lisbon was executed and the Spanish left.  Interestingly, England negotiated the treaty, and not getting much for it seemingly.

The Spanish had other fires to put out at that time – the pesky Catalonians rebelling, the French wanting a fight and the Dutch stealing any colonial lands the weak couldn’t defend.

Portugal managed to hang on to Brazil, Angola, Goa, Macau among other through most of this time.

This map of the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal is by Peeters from 1692.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.