The legacy of that Arab blood can also be detected in Fado’s sometimes melancholy mood. They weren’t pushed out of the Algarve until the 13th century. The North African Moors defeated the Visigoths at the Battle of Guadalete, now in southern Spain, in the early 8th century and gradually took over most of the peninsula.
If you have ever wondered where that tone of doom and gloom comes from, here’s one clue: Arab fatalism. The idea it conveys is that Portugal is doomed from outset, that the deck is stacked against the Portuguese by geography.
It’s an observation you often hear from Portuguese, spoken as a justification: “We’re a small country.” It is supposed to explain why Portugal has trouble competing with the rest of the world. And if you haven’t make sure to check out his book to go even deeper. We hope you enjoy Barry’s take on Portugal. But rather than your everyday interview, we chose instead to ask Barry to tell us what he felt were the top 5 historical events, listed by date, that helped to shape Portuguese culture. As an AP reporter, and someone married to a Portuguese woman, Barry had a unique view worthy of sharing. Very few books cover Portuguese culture and history in English, and of those that do, even fewer bring to the light the incredible successes and struggles that plague the nation. Editor’s Note: Several months ago, we stumbled upon Barry Hatton’s book, “The Portuguese: A Modern History,” and found ourselves captivated.
0 kommentar(er)
