What If the Lisbon Earthquake Never Struck?

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]In 1755, the Great Lisbon earthquake devastated one of Europe's grandest cities, triggering a tsunami and a profound philosophical crisis. But what if that catastrophic event never occurred? Lisbon, Europe's fourth largest city, would remain magnificent, its wealth fueling Portugal's sustained dominance. This unhindered power means a tighter, more robust grip on its vast colonial empire. The profound questioning of divine providence which shook enlightenment thinkers would largely be averted. Europe's intellectual currents might flow less dramatically, less urgently seeking rational order amidst chaos. Portugal might forge a lasting lucifone superpower with Brazil, delaying or even preventing its independence. Ironically, without the need to rebuild from ruin, the pioneering earthquake resistant innovations of the Marquee of Pal, which reshaped