Portugal's 1755 Lisbon Earthquake: The Day the Empire Trembled

On November 1, 1755, All Saints' Day, Lisbon was devastated by one of the most powerful earthquakes in European history. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the earthquake, the tsunami that followed, and the fires that consumed the city. They discuss the scientific and theological debates it sparked—Voltaire wrote about it, Kant proposed early seismic theories—and how the Marquis of Pombal used the disaster to modernize Lisbon and consolidate power. They also examine the earthquake's impact on Portugal's empire: the economic strain, the loss of colonial revenue, and the shift in Portugal's global standing. Specifics include the estimated magnitude of 8.5–9.0, the thousands of deaths, the reconstruction of the Baixa Pombalina with its innovative seismic-resistant architecture, and the political fallout that weakened the Inquisition and the old nobility. The episode also covers the role of the Armillary Sphere as a symbol of Portugal's resilience and the enduring cultural memory of the disaster. #1755LisbonEarthquake #MarquisOfPombal #BaixaPombalina #AllSaintsDay #PortugueseEmpire #Tsunami #Voltaire #ImmanuelKant #SeismicHistory #Lisbon #18thCentury #DisasterResponse #RebuildingLisbon #ArmillarySphere #PortugalHistory #FexingoHistory #History #Europe Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo