British Ultimatum

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The 1890 British Ultimatum was an ultimatum by the British government delivered on January 11, 1890 to Portugal, in breach of the Treaty of Windsor of 1386 between the two countries,^{[citation needed]} forcing the retreat of Portuguese military forces in the land between the colonies of Mozambique and Angola (present-day Zimbabwe). The area had been claimed by Portugal, which had included it in its "Pink Map", but this clashed with British aspirations to create a railroad link between Cairo and Cape Town, thereby linking its colonies from the north of Africa to the very south.

When Portugal acquiesced to British demands, it was seen as a national humiliation by republicans in Portugal, who denounced the government and the King as responsible for it. The government fell, and António de Serpa Pimentel was appointed Prime Minister. The Ultimatum inspired the lyrics of the Portuguese National Anthem, A Portuguesa.

On August 20 1890 the Treaty of London was signed between Portugal, Germany and Great Britain, defining the territorial limits of Angola and Mozambique. The treaty was published in the Diário do Governo (Government Diary) on August 30 and presented to the parliament that same day, leading to a new wave of protest and the downfall of the government. When this treaty was not ratified, a new treaty was negotiated and accepted by both governments the following August.

[edit] See also

• Perfidious Albion
• Portuguese Empire
• Scramble for Africa

[edit] Further Reading

Charles E. Nowell, The rose-colored map : Portugal's attempt to build an African empire from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Lisbon, Portugal : Junta de Investigações Científicas do Ultramar, 1982.