Queen of the Sea: A History of Lisbon

by Barry Hatton

Overview

Lisbon's charm is legendary, but its vibrant 2,000-year history is not widely known, from its Roman legacy to its centuries under Moorish rule. Its journey from port town to Portugal's capital was not always smooth sailing—in 1755 the city was devastated by the largest earthquake ever to strike modern Europe, followed by a catastrophic tsunami and a six-day inferno that turned sand to glass.
Barry Hatton unearths these forgotten memories in a vivid account of Lisbon's colourful past and present, bringing to life the 1147 siege during the Iberian reconquista, the assassination of the king, the founding of a republic and the darkness of a modern dictatorship. He reveals the rich, international heritage of Portugal's metropolis—the gateway to the Atlantic and the unrivalled Queen of the Sea.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849049979
Publisher:	Hurst
Publication date:	12/01/2018
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Barry Hatton has been a British foreign correspondent in Lisbon for three decades. His previous book is The Portuguese: A Modern History.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Triple Attraction
2. A Different Country, A Different Capital
3. Golden Years
4. The African Connection
5. Catastrophe
6. Foreign Rule, Turmoil and Temptation
7. A Tale of Two Bridges

Editorial Reviews

11/12/2018
Hatton (The Portuguese: A Modern History), a British correspondent in Lisbon for three decades, delivers an intimate, witty, and entertaining guide to the history of Portugal’s capital. A lively and knowledgeable narrator, he highlights seminal events in Lisbon’s rich 2,000-year history, as well as its neighborhoods, landmarks, monarchs, musicians, and master builders. He conjures Roman times, when Lisbon was a “city of note” with a hippodrome and thermal baths; the 1147 Siege of Lisbon, a dramatic battle fought with stones and catapults; the 16th century, when Portugal’s empire extended over four continents and Lisbon became a dazzling international bazaar; and the catastrophic 1755 earthquake, tsunami, and fires that obliterated two-thirds of Lisbon’s buildings and killed thousands—but also led to its rebuilding as a more modern city with broad squares and wide boulevards. Despite more turmoil—occupation by Napoleon’s army in 1807, the assassination of a king in 1908, the formation of a republic in 1910, a 50-year dictatorship, and the 1974 revolution that ended it—Portugal joined the European Economic Community in 1985 and hosted the last World’s Fair of the 20th century. Hatton celebrates Lisbon’s rich blend of cultures and the influence of Africans, Muslims, Jews, Indians, and Chinese on the city’s music, cuisine, and culture. This vivid and eloquent guide to Lisbon’s past spills over with affection for the city. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"A companionable history of a darkly intriguing city . . . Hatton's enjoyable . . . account provides a fascinating and sometimes disquieting backdrop to Lisbon's uncanny ability to survive." — Financial Times

"[An] exotic history of triumph and riches, disaster and decline."—The Times

"Hatton's vivid account . . . is full of fascinating detail for those who love the city, from the origins of fado (the melancholic music of Lisbon) to the story of the exiles who haunted its streets during the Second World War." — The Sunday Times

"Hatton's vivid history brings to life the fascinating story of one of Europe's most unique yet under-appreciated cities."— Roger Crowley, author of Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire

"Enchanting . . . and playful." — The Spectator

"[A] jaunty, well-informed book on Lisbon . . . Hatton is an erudite guide, good at capturing the dense flavour of the city."—The Times Literary Supplement

"Intimate, witty, and entertaining . . . this vivid and eloquent guide to Lisbon's past spills over with affection for the city." — Publishers Weekly

"A readable history . . . hugely engaging." — History Today

"An enchanting account of an enchanting city, where peoples from across the globe have converged over the last two and a half millennia."— David Abulafia, Emeritus Professor of Mediterranean History, University of Cambridge and author of The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean

From the Publisher