The Portuguese economy had benefited from its connections with neighbouring Muslim states. A money economy was well enough established for 15th century workers in the countryside as well as in the towns to be paid in currency. The agriculture of the countryside had diversified to the point where grain was imported from Morocco (a symptom of an economy dependent upon Portugal's), while specialised crops occupied former grain-growing areas: vineyards, olives, or the sugar factories of the Algarve, later to be reproduced in Brazil (Braudel 1985). Most of all, the Aviz dynasty that had come to power in 1385 marked the semi-eclipse of the conservative land-oriented aristocracy (See The Consolidation of the Monarchy in Portugal.) A constant exchange of cultural ideals made Portugal a centre of knowledge and technological development. Due to these connections with Islamic kingdoms, many mathematicians and experts in naval technology appeared in Portugal. The Portuguese government impelled this even further by taking full advantage of this and by creating several important research centres in Portugal, where Portuguese and foreign experts made several breakthroughs in the fields of mathematics, cartography and naval technology. Sagres and Lagos in the Algarve become famous as such places.
the portuguese economy had benefited from its connections with neighbouring muslim states a money economy was well enough established for 15th century workers in the countryside as well as in the towns to be paid in currency the agriculture of the countryside had diversified to the point where grain was imported from morocco (a symptom of an economy dependent upon portugal's) while specialised crops occupied former grain-growing areas vineyards olives or the sugar factories of the algarve later to be reproduced in brazil (braudel 1985) most of all the aviz dynasty that had come to power in 1385 marked the semi-eclipse of the conservative land-oriented aristocracy (see the consolidation of the monarchy in portugal) a constant exchange of cultural ideals made portugal a centre of knowledge and technological development due to these connections with islamic kingdoms many mathematicians and experts in naval technology appeared in portugal the portuguese government impelled this even further by taking full advantage of this and by creating several important research centres in portugal where portuguese and foreign experts made several breakthroughs in the fields of mathematics cartography and naval technology sagres and lagos in the algarve become famous as such places