Porto: History, Former Names & Timeline
Port at the mouth of the Douro whose ancient name gave Portugal its name; famous for the port wine trade.
PortoExplore Porto in the interactive map
Former names of Porto
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 200 BC | Portus Cale | |
| 1100 | Porto |
Timeline of Porto
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| AD 868 | Vímara Peres takes Portus Cale, beginning the County of Portugal |
| 1387 | John I marries Philippa of Lancaster in Porto |
| 1394 | Prince Henry the Navigator is born |
| 1703 | The Methuen Treaty boosts the export of port wine to England |
| 1809 | Soult’s French army takes Porto and is driven out by Wellesley |
| 1820 | The Liberal Revolution breaks out in Porto |
Who ruled Porto
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 400 BC–324 BC | Hallstatt culture |
| 323 BC–101 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 100 BC–2 BC | Roman Republic |
| 1 BC–299 | Roman Empire |
| 300–399 | Rome (Maximian) |
| 400–499 | Western Roman Empire |
| 500–599 | Suebi |
| 600–699 | Visigothic Kingdom |
| 700–799 | Umayyad Caliphate |
| 800–999 | Emirate of Córdoba |
| 1000–1199 | León |
| 1200–today | Portugal |
Famous people of Porto
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1394 – 1460 | Henry the Navigator | Portuguese prince |
Nearby cities
Further reading
Questions about Porto
What was Porto called in the past?
Porto has been known as Portus Cale (from 200 BC). Its present name dates from 1100.
Which states have ruled Porto?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Porto lies within 11 different states: Hallstatt culture, Roman Republic, Roman Empire, Rome (Maximian), Western Roman Empire, Suebi, Visigothic Kingdom, Umayyad Caliphate, Emirate of Córdoba, León and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Porto?
AD 868: Vímara Peres takes Portus Cale, beginning the County of Portugal. 1387: John I marries Philippa of Lancaster in Porto. 1394: Prince Henry the Navigator is born. 1703: The Methuen Treaty boosts the export of port wine to England. 1809: Soult’s French army takes Porto and is driven out by Wellesley.
Which famous people are connected with Porto?
Henry the Navigator (portuguese prince, 1394 – 1460).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.