The Portuguese overseas expansion - the female presence on board the ships

Abstract

This text intends to understand the involvement and the role of women in the Portuguese expansion. Studying the duality between "women who stay" - trying to ensure the normal functioning of society - and "women who leave" - to colonize or by their own will. Understanding which women was allowed on board the ships and those who clandestinely ventured out, and the consequences of such defiance. In this sequence, the text explores the representation of women as a strategy for the colonisation of the new lands, as well as life on board the ships and the role of religion in these voyages..