The Portuguese armed forces had a long tradition dating back to Portugal's founding in the 12th century. Portuguese militia units under King Afonso secured Portugal's independence from the Kingdom of Leon and later participated in its own version of the Reconquista against the Moors in the 12th to 15th century. When Portugal became a maritime power in the 15th century, its ships and soldiers traveled the world, helped make colonies like Angola and Brazil, and fought their maritime rivals, the Dutch, as well as the Chinese.