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Disaster That Shook the Age: The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fire That Destroyed an Empire

On the morning of November 1, 1755, on the Day of All Saints, a devastating earthquake measuring 7.7 on the magnitude scale struck Lisbon, Portugal. Followed by a 20-meter tsunami and a massive fire, the disaster claimed 30,000 to 40,000 lives in Lisbon and another 10,000 in Maghribi. More than just a humanitarian tragedy, the earthquake triggered a political crisis within the Portuguese Empire, challenged European theological and philosophical thought, and became the first earthquake to be scientifically studied, changing the face of modern seismology.