Journal of Chinese Military History 6 (2017) 193-218 brill.com/jcmh Portuguese Defence Activities at Macau During the Boxer Uprising Teddy Y. H. Sim National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University
[email protected] Abstract This article examines Portuguese colonial and military activities at Macau during the Boxer Uprising of 1900, connecting developments across the border in Guangdong with initiatives undertaken by the colonial authorities in Macau. The Portuguese perceived the situation to be serious enough that substantial reinforcements were eventually sent from the metropole, in addition to various other measures taken to strengthen the colony’s defenses. Portugal also used Macau as a base to coordinate the operations of its consulates in China, and exploited the Boxer debacle to press for new concessions and other advantages at China’s expense. At the end, it is hoped that the limited and relatively unknown role played by Portugal, in conjunction with the larger kaleidoscope of events around Macau, may be better illuminated. Keywords Macau – Boxer Uprising – events of 1900 – Portuguese Far East – Portuguese colonialism – Portuguese military history Brief Survey A somewhat sceptical source describes Portugal as having “participated in the [Allied] suppression” of the Boxer Uprising.1 While it is entirely possible for a state to be involved in an international campaign in a low-key role, as a few countries were in the Gulf War of 1990-91, the author of this article has 1 Clarence-Smith 1985, 3. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2017 | doi 10.1163/22127453-12341317Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 01:05:02PM via free access 193 194 Sim not seen any fuller treatment on this piece of information about Portugal.