English ultimatum

11/01/1890View on timeline
The Pink Map: areas claimed by Portugal before the Ultimatum.

The 1890 British Ultimatum was an ultimatum by the British government delivered on 11 January 1890 to Portugal. The ultimatum forced the retreat of Portuguese military forces from areas which had been claimed by Portugal on the basis of historical discovery and recent exploration, but which the United Kingdom claimed on the basis of effective occupation. Portugal had attempted to claim a large area of land between its colonies of Mozambique and Angola including most of present-day Zimbabwe and Zambia and a large part of Malawi, which had been included in Portugal's "Rose-coloured Map".

It has sometimes been claimed that the British government's objections arose because the Portuguese claims clashed with its aspirations to create a Cape to Cairo Railway, linking its colonies from the south of Africa to those in the north. This seems unlikely, as in 1890 Germany already controlled German East Africa, now Tanzania, and Sudan was independent under Muhammad Ahmad. Rather, the British government was pressed into taking action by Cecil Rhodes, whose British South Africa Company was founded in 1888 south of the Zambezi and the African Lakes Company and British missionaries to the north.

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Published in 3/04/2019

Updated in 19/02/2021

All events in the topic Portugal Chronology:


22/04/1500Discovery of BrazilDiscovery of Brazil
01/01/1572Luís de Camões publishes Os LusíadasLuís de Camões publishes Os Lusíadas
01/01/1580Loss of independenceLoss of independence
01/12/164013/02/1668Portuguese Restoration WarPortuguese Restoration War
01/11/1755Great Earthquake of LisbonGreat Earthquake of Lisbon
27/10/180701/01/1810French invasionsFrench invasions
24/08/1820Liberal revolutionLiberal revolution
07/09/1822Brazilian independenceBrazilian independence
01/01/182801/01/1834Civil War between Liberals and AbsolutistsCivil War between Liberals and Absolutists
11/01/1890English ultimatumEnglish ultimatum
01/04/1903King Edward VII of England visits PortugalKing Edward VII of England visits Portugal
01/02/1908RegicideRegicide
05/10/1910Establishment of the RepublicEstablishment of the Republic
01/01/1961Outbreak of the Colonial WarOutbreak of the Colonial War
25/04/1974Democratic RevolutionDemocratic Revolution
01/01/1986Portugal joins the EECPortugal joins the EEC
13/12/2007Treaty of LisbonTreaty of Lisbon
01/01/1498Vasco da Gama reaches India by seaVasco da Gama reaches India by sea
01/01/1532Colonisation of BrazilColonisation of Brazil
04/08/1578Battle of Alcácer QuibirBattle of Alcácer Quibir
26/04/1821Return of the court to LisbonReturn of the court to Lisbon
20/09/1834Acclamation of Queen Maria IIAcclamation of Queen Maria II
18/03/1842Coup d’état by Costa CabralCoup d’état by Costa Cabral
01/01/1843Start of the construction of Pena PalaceStart of the construction of Pena Palace
01/03/1846Rebellion of Maria da FonteRebellion of Maria da Fonte
15/11/1853Death of Queen Maria IIDeath of Queen Maria II
31/01/1891Republican revolution of 31 JanuaryRepublican revolution of 31 January
09/03/1916Portugal enters the First World WarPortugal enters the First World War
01/05/1917Apparitions at FatimaApparitions at Fatima
10/06/1944Opening of the National StadiumOpening of the National Stadium
06/08/1966Opening of the bridge over the TagusOpening of the bridge over the Tagus