Great Lisbon Earthquake

The Great Lisbon Earthquake occurred on November 1, 1755, with an estimated magnitude of 8.5-9.0. The earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires, almost completely destroyed Lisbon, killing approximately 30,000-40,000 people in the city. The disaster had profound political, economic, and philosophical impacts across Europe. Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo (later Marquis of Pombal) led the recovery efforts, implementing innovative rebuilding strategies that strengthened his political position and transformed Lisbon's architecture.