▁C un ha , ▁Est ê v ão ▁da ▁G ama , ▁Mart im ▁Af onso ▁de ▁S ous a , ▁João ▁de ▁Castro ▁and ▁Henri que ▁de ▁Men eses . ▁O verse as , ▁the ▁Empire ▁was ▁threatened ▁by ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁and ▁North ▁Africa , ▁causing ▁Portugal ▁to ▁increase ▁sp ending ▁on ▁defense ▁and ▁fort ifications . ▁Meanwhile , ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic , ▁where ▁Portuguese ▁ships ▁already ▁had ▁to ▁with stand ▁constant ▁attacks ▁of ▁Private ers , ▁an ▁initial ▁settlement ▁of ▁French ▁colon ists ▁in ▁Brazil ▁created ▁yet ▁another ▁" front ". ▁The ▁French ▁made ▁al li ances ▁with ▁native ▁South ▁Americans ▁against ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁and ▁military ▁and ▁political ▁inter vent ions ▁were ▁used . ▁Event ually ▁they ▁were ▁forced ▁out , ▁but ▁not ▁until ▁ 1 5 6 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁years ▁of ▁John ▁III ' s ▁reign , ▁expl or ations ▁in ▁the ▁Far ▁East ▁continued , ▁and ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁reached ▁China ▁and ▁Japan ; ▁however , ▁these ▁accomplish ments ▁were ▁offset ▁by ▁pressure ▁from ▁a ▁strength ening ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁under ▁S ule iman ▁the ▁Magn ific ent , ▁especially ▁in ▁India , ▁where ▁attacks ▁became ▁more ▁frequent . ▁The ▁exp ense ▁of ▁def ending ▁Indian ▁interests ▁was ▁huge . ▁To ▁pay ▁for ▁it , ▁John ▁III ▁abandoned ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁strong holds ▁in ▁North ▁Africa : ▁Saf im , ▁Az am or , ▁Alc á cer ▁C eg uer ▁and ▁Ar z ila . ▁ ▁John ▁III ▁achieved