The name of the island of Madeira comes from the word "madeira" , which means "wood" in Portuguese. This name was given by the Portuguese when they discovered the island in the early 15th century. When they landed on the island, they found that it was covered with dense forests, mainly laurels and other species of precious wood. Thus, the name "Madeira" refers to this abundance of woody vegetation.
The first mentions of the island date back to 1419, when Portuguese navigators João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira explored the island, and they quickly established a colony on this fertile and forested land.
The Portuguese discoveries of the Atlantic islands began as part of Portugal's policy of maritime expansion under Prince Henry the Navigator (1394–1460). Prince Henry encouraged explorations along the African coast and in the Atlantic, seeking to open new trade routes and discover unknown lands.
After its discovery, Madeira was colonized by the Portuguese. Zarco and Teixeira took possession of the island in the name of the King of Portugal, John I , and began to develop the colony. They introduced the cultivation of sugar cane, and later that of wine, which would become pillars of the island's economy.
Madeira Island played an important strategic role for Portugal in the Atlantic, serving as a supply point for expeditions to Africa, the Azores, and later even to the Americas.
