Before the ships came, Africa breathed freely.

Kingdoms rose with gold-lined roads, scholars debated under moonlight, and traders crossed deserts guided by stars. From Mali to Benin, from Ethiopia to Egypt, Africa knew power, pride, and order.

Then, in 1415, the silence broke.

Across the waters, Portuguese ships cut through the sea like blades. Their target was Ceuta, a prosperous North African city that connected Africa to Europe and the Middle East. When the city fell, it wasn’t just a military defeat, it was Africa’s first wound.

Ceuta became the first African territory colonized by Europeans.

The Portuguese did not come to rule hearts; they came to control trade, gold, and routes. They built forts, raised foreign flags, and learned something dangerous:

Africa was rich and vulnerable.

That lesson would not be forgotten.