Portugal is one of the oldest nations in Europe. It became an independent Kingdom in 1143 and, a Century later, with the conquest of Algarve, the Portuguese borders were practically the same as today. In the 15th and 16th Century the Portuguese discoveries, the contact with many different cultures and the commercial trade open Portugal to the world. During the 17th and 18th Centuries the Diplomatic contacts with other European countries and with the Holy See shows the recognition of Portugal as an influent Nation in Europe.

The very important collection of vehicles that we can appreciate in the National Coach Museum in Lisbon dates mainly from this period. The most impressive coaches were made for special occasions like weddings and Embassies. The fact that many of our Kings married foreign princesses permits us to show to the public Spanish, French Italian and Austrian vehicles that belonged to those Ladies.

 Many of those 17^th and 18^th Century coaches were kept in use during the 19^th Century, along with the much more modern and practical vehicles that appeared at that period, and so they arrived in quite good condition to the beginning of the 20^th Century when Queen Amelia decided to make a Museum of Royal Coaches.

After the Republic, in 1910, other vehicles join the royal collection and the Museum was then called the National Coach Museum.