▁in ▁fighting ▁the ▁attacks ▁of ▁French ▁private ers . ▁ ▁He ▁strength ened ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Pap al ▁States ▁by ▁introdu cing ▁the ▁In quisition ▁in ▁Portugal ▁and ▁the ▁ad hes ion ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁cler gy ▁to ▁the ▁C ounter - Re formation . ▁This ▁relationship ▁with ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁made ▁it ▁possible ▁for ▁John ▁to ▁name ▁wh ome ver ▁he ▁desired ▁to ▁important ▁religious ▁positions ▁in ▁Portugal : ▁his ▁brothers ▁Henry ▁and ▁Af onso ▁were ▁made ▁Card inals , ▁and ▁his ▁bi ological ▁son , ▁Du arte ; ▁was ▁made ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁B rag a . ▁ ▁Com mer cial ▁relations ▁were ▁intens ified ▁with ▁England , ▁the ▁countries ▁of ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁regions ▁and ▁Fland ers ▁during ▁John ▁III ' s ▁reign . ▁Meanwhile , ▁at ▁the ▁other ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁world , ▁Portugal ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁European ▁nation ▁to ▁make ▁contact ▁with ▁Japan . ▁In ▁China , ▁Mac au ▁was ▁offered ▁to ▁the ▁Portuguese , ▁and ▁soon ▁Portugal ▁controlled ▁major ▁trade ▁routes ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁In ▁South ▁Asia , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁continued ▁its ▁host ile ▁st ance ▁against ▁their ▁Muslim ▁riv als ▁and ▁ins urg ent ▁Indian ▁leaders . ▁ ▁Culture ▁ ▁John ▁III ' s ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁human ist ▁cause ▁was ▁significant . ▁In ▁literature , ▁his ▁active ▁support ▁of ▁Gil ▁Vic ente , ▁Gar cia ▁de ▁Res ende , ▁S á ▁de ▁Mir anda , ▁Bernard im ▁R ibe iro , ▁Fern ão ▁M endes ▁P into , ▁João ▁de ▁Bar ros ▁and ▁Lu