Portugal’s national anthem is titled “A Portuguesa,” meaning “The Portuguese.”
Henrique Lopes de Mendonça wrote the lyrics and Alfredo Keil composed the music in 1890. The song was created in response to the British Ultimatum, which demanded that Portugal withdraw from territory claimed in Africa. Its patriotic message quickly became associated with resistance and national sovereignty.
“A Portuguesa” became the official national anthem after the establishment of the Portuguese Republic in 1910. The current official version uses the first stanza and chorus, while the original song contained additional material.
The anthem’s title is feminine in Portuguese because it refers to a feminine noun such as “canção,” meaning song, in the implied phrase “the Portuguese [song].” It is distinct from Brazil’s anthem and from “Marcha Real,” Spain’s instrumental anthem.