Portugal became an important colonial power and the Algarve played its part in this; Henry the Navigator was based in Sagres when he set off on his many great maritime expeditions. The Algarve was semi-autonomous and in fact Portugal’s Kings were titled ‘King of Portugal and The Algarves’. The region was briefly occupied by the Spanish in the early 19th century and was the first region of Portugal to defeat the invaders in 1808.