The Portuguese Empire was founded in 1415 with the conquest of Ceuta in North Africa. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal established a global colonial empire and trading network, most notably in Brazil and India. However, wars and natural disasters like the 1755 Lisbon earthquake weakened Portugal's economy over time. Its empire declined, though Portuguese influence remained strong in Brazil, which became independent in 1815 while retaining Portuguese as the dominant language and aspects of Portuguese culture.