The history of the relationship between Portugal and France is a tangle of alliances and betrayals, cultural influences and power struggles, spanning centuries of conflict and complicity. From refugee kings to revolutions that set Europe ablaze, from exiled artists to wars that tested the limits of loyalty, Portugal and France share a history as rich as it is tumultuous.
First Contact and Cultural Influences
Since the dawn of the Portuguese nation, France has had a significant influence on Portugal. During the formation of the Kingdom of Portugal in the 12th century, French nobles took part in the Reconquista, helping King Afonso Henriques to consolidate his kingdom. French knights, attracted by promises of land and prestige, helped in the war against the Moors, leaving their mark on the Lusitanian nobility.
Over time, this relationship became less military and more cultural. In the Renaissance, French influence grew, with the Portuguese aristocracy adopting customs and fashions inspired by the French court. French became the language of the elite, and Portuguese architecture and art drew on French aesthetics. Eighteenth-century Portuguese literature, for example, was greatly influenced by the French Enlightenment, shaping the formation of liberal ideas in Portugal.
France also influenced Portuguese political institutions. During the 19th century, French republican ideals inspired the fall of the monarchy in Portugal, leading to the Proclamation of the Republic in 1910. The French Revolution, with its ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, had a deep echo in the Portuguese mentality, provoking heated debates about the future of the country.
Napoleonic Wars and the Escape of the Portuguese Court
While the relationship between Portugal and France had moments of exchange and admiration, it was also marked by episodes of violence and betrayal. One of the most dramatic was the Napoleonic invasion of 1807. Napoleon Bonaparte, seeking to consolidate his rule over Europe, ordered Portugal to break its historic alliance with England and join the Continental Blockade against the British. Portugal hesitated, and Napoleon reacted with fire and iron.
Faced with the imminent French invasion, the Portuguese court, under the command of Dom João VI, embarked on a desperate flight to Brazil. Under the protection of the Royal Navy, they crossed the Atlantic while Lisbon was occupied by the French. The invasion triggered years of war on Portuguese soil, leading to the three peninsular campaigns and one of the fiercest resistances in Portuguese military history, aided by English troops.
The French occupation was marked by looting, repression and violence. Marshal Junot, commander of the Napoleonic troops, tried to rule Portugal with an iron fist, but faced a hostile population and incessant guerrilla warfare. In the end, the French were expelled, but the trauma of the invasion remained in the collective memory of the Portuguese.
France as Refuge and Inspiration
If in times of war France was the enemy, in times of change, it became a refuge and inspiration for the Portuguese. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Paris became a destination for Portuguese political exiles, artists, and intellectuals. The French Revolution and its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity reverberated in Portugal, planting the seeds of the revolutions that would overthrow the Portuguese monarchy in 1910.
Fernando Pessoa, one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language, was influenced by French symbolism. Portuguese writers, painters and musicians traveled to Paris in search of inspiration, and the French capital became a second home for many exiles during the Salazar regime. To this day, the relationship between the two countries remains strong in culture and art, with collaborations in film, literature, and music.
Places in Lisbon and Porto Where the History of Portugal and France Intertwines
The French presence can still be seen in the streets of Lisbon and Porto, in buildings, monuments, and institutions that whisper stories of encounters, wars, and revolutions.
Queluz Palace
The Queluz Palace, with its architecture influenced by French rococo, was the residence of the royal family before they fled to Brazil. To walk through its halls is to feel the echo of the footsteps of Dom João VI, who left leaving a kingdom in flames.
Prazeres Cemetery, Lisbon
Many French exiles and refugees were buried in the Prazeres Cemetery, one of the oldest in Lisbon. Among the graves is a little piece of the history shared between the two countries.
Palácio da Bolsa, Porto
The French influence on Porto’s architecture is evident in the Palácio da Bolsa, a building that mixes neoclassical and romantic styles, evoking the elegance of 19th century French palaces.
Avenidas Novas, Lisbon
The wide, tree-lined boulevards of Avenidas Novas were inspired by the urbanization of Paris. Strolling along them, you can see the French influence on Lisbon’s architecture and urban organization.
Final Thoughts
Today, Portugal and France maintain a relationship of cooperation and exchange. Paris continues to be one of the Portuguese’s favorite destinations, and Lisbon and Porto welcome thousands of French people who find a temporary or permanent home in Portugal.
The economic, cultural and historical ties between the two countries live on. What began with French knights helping to found Portugal, and enduring invasions and exiles, has become a relationship of mutual respect and influence.
