The Portuguese maritime discoveries were a golden era for the country. Even after this important historical period ended, however, the Portuguese Navy remained quite active. Portugal held colonies in Africa and Asia almost until the end of the twentieth century and the Portuguese Navy always played a key role in maintaining the connection with these territories.
From the nineteenth century onwards, the distinction between warships and merchant ships became clearer than before. Up until then, ships that were prepared mainly for combat could also be used to transport cargo and passengers, and those that were generally used for shipping also needed to carry weapons, in order to defend themselves from potential attacks.
Another aspect that should be pointed out is the increasing specialization of warships. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the number of ship typologies increased, each designed for a specific task.