They brought to Africa protection from malaria, and slave-shipments to America to India, higher education, curry and samosas to Japan, tempura and firearms. The Portuguese gave the English afternoon tea, and Bombay, the key to empire. Portuguese Jews introduced tulips, chocolate and diamonds to Holland. Before he became Pope John XXI, Joao Hispano of Lisbon wrote one of the first modern medical textbooks, consulted through much of Europe more than a century later. After the Norman conquest of Lisbon, the new Portugal bankrupted Venice and became the wealthiest nation in Europe. During the Dark Ages further north, Portugal's Arab rulers made it part of the world's most advanced civilization. Here, Hannibal discovered the warriors, weapons and gold, to march on Rome and Julius Caesar found the fortune that paid the way to his conquests of Gaul and England. Summary: When Jonah was swallowed by the big fish, he was trying to escape to what is now Portugal.
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