Portugal Day commemorates the death of the great Portuguese poet Luís de Camões on June 10, 1580.
Portugal Day in New York City
New York City’s big celebration is the Portugal Day Festival and Parade in the Ironbound District of Newark, New Jersey. It’s New York City’s biggest Portuguese and Brazilian community. The seafood is incredible.
Luís de Camões
He wrote Portugal’s epic national poem “Os Lusíadas” in 1572. It’s the story of Vasco de Gama opening the sea route to India in the 15th century (1497-99). De Camões’ death is commemorated because nobody knows for sure when he was born.
He died during an important year in the history of Portugal. The Portuguese succession crisis of 1580 was triggered by the deaths of King Sebastian 1 of Portugal in 1578, and his successor Dom Henrique 1 (King Henry the 1st) in 1580. A Spanish army invaded Portugal and forced the Iberian Union. Portugal didn’t regain its independence until 1640.
Portuguese explorers played an important role in history. They opened European trade routes around coastal Africa and all the way to Asia and the Pacific, and then Brazil.