Conflicts & Resolutions · Revolution

Carnation Revolution

1974 · 20th century

The Carnation Revolution was a largely bloodless military coup in Lisbon on 25 April 1974 that overthrew the Estado Novo dictatorship in Portugal. Its leaders were partly motivated by the costly colonial wars in Africa. The new democratic government rapidly decolonised Portugal's African territories, bringing the Portuguese Empire to an end.

Carnation Revolution
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Mentioned in 1 profile

Portuguese EmpireDecline

Mentioned in 5 state histories

Portuguese MozambiquePortuguese AngolaPortuguese TimorEstado Novo (Portugal)Third Portuguese Republic

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Carnation Revolution. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/carnation-revolution
MLA
“Carnation Revolution.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/carnation-revolution. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Carnation Revolution.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/carnation-revolution.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Carnation Revolution’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/carnation-revolution (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻