Fifth Empire
Encyclopedia
The Fifth Empire, known as Quinto Império in Portuguese
is a mythological concept which became widespread after the publication of the poem A Mensagem, by Fernando Pessoa
.
), which are the following under Pessoa's point of view:
The Fifth Empire, led by "the hidden one" (O Encoberto in the poem, an allusion to Sebastianism
), will unite the entire world spiritually and culturally, led by the Portuguese Nation.
, millenarian
(quiliástica), designed by Father Antonio Vieira
in the seventeenth century.
The first four empires were, according to Vieira, in order: the Assyro-Caldeans, the Persians, the Greeks
and the Romans
. The fifth was the Portuguese Empire
.
As we saw when viewing the book of Daniel 2, in the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament
), in Bible
, Father Antonio Vieira
came to this myth based on a biblical passage that tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar
and his dream, with a statue that featured five kinds of materials.
The origins of the myth of the Fifth Empire are intimately connected with the History of Portugal
. The death of King Sebastian
and subsequent loss of independence were disastrous for the country and its colonial ambitions. The restoration of independence in 1640 did, however, give a new hope for the entire nation. Father António Vieira
, in many of his works and sermons, would present John IV
as the saviour, who would restore the grandiosity of the Portuguese Empire, leader of the Age of Discovery
, and succeed to the four empires of ancient History (Vieira's past empires did not coincide with those advocated by Pessoa and mentioned above).
From the 17th century on, and as the Portuguese Empire
slowly crumbled, the dream became increasingly more mystical. Greater importance was given to Luís de Camões
and his masterpiece, Os Lusíadas
, which exalted Portugal as a nation of heroes aided by the classical gods.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
is a mythological concept which became widespread after the publication of the poem A Mensagem, by Fernando Pessoa
Fernando Pessoa
Fernando Pessoa, born Fernando António Nogueira de Seabra Pessoa , was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.-Early years in Durban:On 13 July...
.
The Concept
The Fifth Empire is not a mere territorial empire. It is a spiritual and linguistic body which spreads throughout the entire world. It represents the ultimate form of fusion between material ( science, reason, intellectual speculation ) and spiritual knowledge (the occult, mystical speculation, cabalism). It is the pinnacle of all the work undertaken by the previous empires ( according to old principle of the translatio imperiiTranslatio imperii
Translatio imperii, Latin for "transfer of rule", is a concept invented in the Middle Ages for describing history as a linear succession of transfers of imperium, that is of supreme power concentrated with a series of single rulers .-Origin:...
), which are the following under Pessoa's point of view:
- First Empire - Ancient GreeceAncient GreeceAncient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
, all knowledge and experience extracted from the ancient empires; - Second Empire - Roman EmpireRoman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, expansion of the First Empire's culture and knowledge; - Third Empire - ChristianityChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, fusion between the First and the Second Empires, with the absorption of several eastern elements (such as JudaismJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
); - Fourth Empire - EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, spreading throughout the entire world the outcome of the previous empires.
The Fifth Empire, led by "the hidden one" (O Encoberto in the poem, an allusion to Sebastianism
Sebastianism
Sebastianism, one aspect of the sleeping king folk-motif, is part of the Portuguese and Brazilian mythology and culture. It means waiting for a hero that will save Portugal and lead it to the Fifth Empire, and known as Eu nacional...
), will unite the entire world spiritually and culturally, led by the Portuguese Nation.
Origins
The Fifth Empire is a belief messianicMessianism
Messianism is the belief in a messiah, a savior or redeemer. Many religions have a messiah concept, including the Jewish Messiah, the Christian Christ, the Muslim Mahdi and Isa , the Buddhist Maitreya, the Hindu Kalki and the Zoroastrian Saoshyant...
, millenarian
Millenarianism
Millenarianism is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed, based on a one-thousand-year cycle. The term is more generically used to refer to any belief centered around 1000 year intervals...
(quiliástica), designed by Father Antonio Vieira
António Vieira
Father António Vieira was a Portuguese Jesuit and writer, the "prince" of Catholic pulpit-orators of his time.-Life:Vieira was born in Lisbon to Cristóvão Vieira Ravasco, the son of a mulatto woman, and Maria de Azevedo. Accompanying his parents to Brazil in 1614, he received his education at the...
in the seventeenth century.
The first four empires were, according to Vieira, in order: the Assyro-Caldeans, the Persians, the Greeks
Greek Empire
-Classical Greece:* Athenian Empire* Macedonian Empire-Hellenistic civilization:In the Hellenistic period, Greek Empire can refer to any individual successor state of the Diadochi:* Seleucid dynasty* Antigonid dynasty* Ptolemaic dynasty-Middle Ages:...
and the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. The fifth was the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
.
As we saw when viewing the book of Daniel 2, in the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
), in Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Father Antonio Vieira
António Vieira
Father António Vieira was a Portuguese Jesuit and writer, the "prince" of Catholic pulpit-orators of his time.-Life:Vieira was born in Lisbon to Cristóvão Vieira Ravasco, the son of a mulatto woman, and Maria de Azevedo. Accompanying his parents to Brazil in 1614, he received his education at the...
came to this myth based on a biblical passage that tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar was the name of several kings of Babylonia.* Nebuchadnezzar I, who ruled the Babylonian Empire in the 12th century BC* Nebuchadnezzar II , the Babylonian ruler mentioned in the biblical Book of Daniel...
and his dream, with a statue that featured five kinds of materials.
The origins of the myth of the Fifth Empire are intimately connected with the History of Portugal
History of Portugal
The history of Portugal, a European and an Atlantic nation, dates back to the Early Middle Ages. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it ascended to the status of a world power during Europe's "Age of Discovery" as it built up a vast empire including possessions in South America, Africa, Asia and...
. The death of King Sebastian
Sebastian of Portugal
Sebastian "the Desired" was the 16th king of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of Prince John of Portugal and his wife, Joan of Spain...
and subsequent loss of independence were disastrous for the country and its colonial ambitions. The restoration of independence in 1640 did, however, give a new hope for the entire nation. Father António Vieira
António Vieira
Father António Vieira was a Portuguese Jesuit and writer, the "prince" of Catholic pulpit-orators of his time.-Life:Vieira was born in Lisbon to Cristóvão Vieira Ravasco, the son of a mulatto woman, and Maria de Azevedo. Accompanying his parents to Brazil in 1614, he received his education at the...
, in many of his works and sermons, would present John IV
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
as the saviour, who would restore the grandiosity of the Portuguese Empire, leader of the Age of Discovery
Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
, and succeed to the four empires of ancient History (Vieira's past empires did not coincide with those advocated by Pessoa and mentioned above).
From the 17th century on, and as the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
slowly crumbled, the dream became increasingly more mystical. Greater importance was given to Luís de Camões
Luís de Camões
Luís Vaz de Camões is considered Portugal's and the Portuguese language's greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare, Vondel, Homer, Virgil and Dante. He wrote a considerable amount of lyrical poetry and drama but is best remembered for his epic work Os Lusíadas...
and his masterpiece, Os Lusíadas
Os Lusíadas
Os Lusíadas , usually translated as The Lusiads, is a Portuguese epic poem by Luís Vaz de Camões ....
, which exalted Portugal as a nation of heroes aided by the classical gods.
See also
- Cult of the Holy SpiritCult of the Holy SpiritThe Cult of the Holy Spirit is a religious sub-culture, inspired by Christian millenarian mystics, associated with Azorean Catholic identity, consisting of iconography, architecture, and religious practices that have continued in many communities of the archipelago as well as the broader...
- Portuguese EmpirePortuguese EmpireThe Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
- SebastianismSebastianismSebastianism, one aspect of the sleeping king folk-motif, is part of the Portuguese and Brazilian mythology and culture. It means waiting for a hero that will save Portugal and lead it to the Fifth Empire, and known as Eu nacional...
- Fernando PessoaFernando PessoaFernando Pessoa, born Fernando António Nogueira de Seabra Pessoa , was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.-Early years in Durban:On 13 July...
- Daniel 2