IN PEACE AND IN WAR. AT SEA AND ON LAND.
The Marine Corps of the Portuguese Navy is the legitimate heir of the first military force formed on a permanent basis in Portugal, which was set up precisely 400 years ago, being especially dedicated to combat at sea and on land: the 'Terço da Armada da Coroa de Portugal'.
The historical roots of this infantry force can be found in the various actions carried out by the Portuguese military forces between the 12th and 17th centuries. In the 12th-13th centuries, the main population centres were taken from the sea, as was the case of the conquest of Lisbon in 1147.
The conquest of Ceuta by the Portuguese on 21 August 1415 and the conquests made in the first two decades of the 16th century, in the Eastern seas, were achieved by landings in major rivers and coastal centres, which allowed choosing 'where' and 'when' to attack.
The creation of infantry teams to train the garrisons on the ships to India on how to handle artillery and rifles ('fuzilaria') dates back to 1585.
The word 'fuzil' (rifle) appeared with the creation of flintlock firearms and comes from the Latin 'focilis': 'stone that makes fire'.
So, the term 'Fuzileiro' (Marine) started being used to refer to a soldier armed with a rifle - a long-barrelled portable firearm.