Abbreviations x <p>Maps xi</p> <p>Tables xii</p> <p>Acknowledgments xiv</p> <p>Preface to the Second Edition xv</p> <p>Preface to the First Edition xvii</p> <p><b>Introduction: The Mythical Faces of Portuguese Asia</b> 1</p> <p><b>1 Early Modern Asia: Geopolitics and Economic Change</b> 11</p> <p>Fifteenth- and Sixteenth-century States 13</p> <p>The Circulation of Elites 22</p> <p>Towards a Taxonomy 27</p> <p>Long-term Trends 30</p> <p><b>2 Portuguese State and Society, 1200-1500</b> 33</p> <p>Crown and Nobility 33</p> <p>In Search of a Bourgeoisie 40</p> <p>Mercantilism and Messianism 48</p> <p>Summing Up 55</p> <p><b>3 Two Patterns and Their Logic: Creating an Empire, 1498-1540</b> 59</p> <p>The Early Expeditions 60</p> <p>From Almeida to Albuquerque: Defining the First Pattern 67</p> <p>The Second Pattern: East of Cape Comorin 74</p> <p>The Logic at Work: Portuguese Asia, 1525–40 78</p> <p>Towards the "Crisis" 83</p> <p>Notes 85</p> <p><b>4 The Mid-Sixteenth-century "Crisis"</b> 87</p> <p>The Dilemmas of Joanine Policy 88</p> <p>S´as, Sousas, and Castros: Portuguese Asian Officialdom in the Crisis 96</p> <p>The Mid-century Debate 104</p> <p>The Far Eastern Solution 107</p> <p>The <i>Estado</i> in 1570 113</p> <p>Notes 114</p> <p><b>5 Between Land-bound and Sea-borne: Reorientations, 1570-1610</b> 115</p> <p>Trade and Conquest: The Spanish View 116</p> <p>Spain, Portugal, and the Atlantic Turning 120</p> <p>Girdling the Globe 124</p> <p>The “Land” Question 130</p> <p>The Maritime Challenge 141</p> <p>Concessions and Captains-Major 145</p> <p>The Beginnings of Decline? 150</p> <p><b>6 Empire in Retreat, 1610-1665</b> 153</p> <p>Political Reconsolidation in Asia, 1570-1610 154</p> <p>Syriam and Hurmuz: The Beginnings of Retreat 160</p> <p>Reform and Its Consequences 167</p> <p>The Decade of Disasters: Portuguese Asia in the 1630s 172</p> <p>Restoration, Truce, and Failure, 1640-52 181</p> <p>The Retreat Completed, 1652-65 186</p> <p>Asians, Europeans, and the Retreat 188</p> <p>Notes 189</p> <p><b>7 Niches and Networks: Staying On, 1665-1700</b> 191</p> <p>The Cape Route and the Bahia Trade 192</p> <p>The Vicissitudes of the <i>Estado:</i> The View from Goa 198</p> <p>Mozambique, Munhumutapa, and <i>Prazo</i> Creation 206</p> <p>The Portuguese of the Bay of Bengal 211</p> <p>Survival in the Far East: Macau and Timor 217</p> <p>The Portuguese, Dutch, and English: A Comparison 222</p> <p><b>8 Portuguese Asian Society I: The Official Realm</b> 227</p> <p>The Problem of Numbers 228</p> <p>The World of the <i>Casado</i> 236</p> <p>Networks, Fortunes, and Patronage 243</p> <p>"Portuguese" and "Foreigner" 250</p> <p>Rise of the <i>Solteiro</i> 253</p> <p>The Impact on Portugal 257</p> <p><b>9 Portuguese Asian Society II: The Frontier and Beyond</b> 261</p> <p>Renegades and Rebels 262</p> <p>Mercenaries, Firearms, and Fifth Columnists 269</p> <p>Converts and Client Communities 274</p> <p>A Luso–Asian Diaspora? 279</p> <p><b>10 Conclusion: Between Banditry and Capitalism</b> 285</p> <p>Glossary 295</p> <p>A Note on Quantitative Data 303</p> <p>Bibliography 307</p> <p>Maps 323</p> <p>Index 333</p>