Lusitania the other provinces to form the "Diocesis Hispaniarum" ("Diocese of the Hispanias"). As with the Roman names of many European countries, "Lusitania" was and is often used as an alternative name for Portugal, especially in formal or literary and poetic contexts. The 16th-century colony that would eventually become Brazil was initially founded as "New Lusitania". In common use are such terms as Lusophone, meaning Portuguese-speaking, and Lusitanic, referring to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries—once Portugal's colonies and presently independent countries still sharing some common heritage. Prior to his invasion in 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte proposed the establishment of a French-backed
Claudius, Duke of Lusitania Claudius, Duke of Lusitania Claudius was a Hispano-Roman Catholic "dux" (duke) of Lusitania (or "dux Emeretensis civitatis") in the late sixth century. He was one of the most successful generals of Reccared I. In 587, after a count named Witteric had exposed the plot of Sunna, the Arian bishop of Mérida, to place the Visigoth Segga on the throne and probably to also kill the Catholic Méridan bishop Masona, Claudius was sent to put down the revolt. Segga was captured, his hands cut off (the penalty for usurpers), and banished to Galicia. The less important conspirators were deprived of their