Prince Henry’s school sent
14 expeditions
into “The Sea of Darkness”. Prince Henry himself even convinced some explorers to go further south.
He sponsored
Nuno Tristao’s exploration of the African coast
, and Antao Goncalves’s hunting expedition there in 1441. The two men captured several Africans and brought them back to Portugal.
It was also believed by many Portuguese sailors and others that the waters beyond the cape were beset with storms, terrible fogs, and unimaginable sea monsters. Over 12 years, Henry had funded
14 expeditions
with the enlistment of Italian bankers and the objective to round the cape.
Why did Prince Henry sponsor many exploration trips?
Henry became fascinated with Africa, a continent about which the Portuguese knew little. He developed a desire to learn about the
Muslims
who lived there, primarily in hopes of conquering them and spreading Christianity. And he became aware of Africa’s many resources, which he hoped to exploit for Portugal’s gain.
What did Prince Henry sponsor?
Henry now began to sponsor
voyages of exploration along the western African coast
. In 1420 he became a grand master of the Order of Christ, the supreme order sponsored by the pope to spread the area of European influence against the Muslim empires.
What did Prince Henry?
After procuring the new caravel ship, Henry was responsible for the early development of
Portuguese exploration and maritime
trade with other continents through the systematic exploration of Western Africa, the islands of the Atlantic Ocean, and the search for new routes.
What did Prince Henry do to improve sea travel?
Prince Henry’s expeditionary goals were
to increase navigational knowledge along the western coast of Africa and find a water route to Asia, to increase trade opportunities for Portugal, to find gold to provide the trips’ own funding, to spread Christianity around the world, and defeat Muslims
—and perhaps even to find …
Why did the Portuguese travel to Africa?
Portuguese expansion into Africa began with
the desire of King John I to gain access to the gold-producing areas of West Africa
. The trans-Saharan trade routes between Songhay and the North African traders provided Europe with gold coins used to trade spices, silks and other luxuries from India.
The last two important mariners sent out by Henry were
the Venetian explorer Alvise Ca’ da Mosto and the Portuguese Diogo Gomes
, who between them discovered several of the Cape Verde Islands. Afonso V had small interest in discovery but great zeal for Crusading and knight-errantry.
What ushered in the age of exploration?
The final reason for why the Age of Exploration began is
because Europeans of the time were interested in foreign cultures and goods
. In general, the Renaissance in Europe caused an expansion of new ideas and new understandings of the world.
The rising expense of the sea voyages also generated criticism, and Henry had to find ways to make the voyages pay for themselves. His hopes to find gold in the west African states did not materialize except for some gold dust; but
the slave trade proved profitable
and soon became the basis of his sponsored voyages.
Who was the first European to sail around Africa and land in India?
Vasco da Gama
was a Portuguese explorer who followed in the footsteps of Dias and became the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa and all the way to India. Da Gama sailed from Lisbon, Portugal in July 1497, with four ships.
What did da Gama discover?
Vasco De Gama was the first European to find
an ocean trading route to India
. He accomplished what many explorers before him could not do. His discovery of this sea route helped the Portuguese establish a long-lasting colonial empire in Asia and Africa.
Who was the first person to sail around Africa?
In 1488,
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias
(c. 1450-1500) became the first European mariner to round the southern tip of Africa, opening the way for a sea route from Europe to Asia.
Which country first started exploration?
The Age of Exploration began in the nation of
Portugal
under the leadership of Henry the Navigator. Henry sent out ships to map and explore the west coast of Africa.
Prince Henry had several reasons for dispatching his expeditions. He hoped to
find rumored Christian allies
, add to geographic knowledge, and perhaps find a sea route to the Orient. But he also hoped to find gold. For centuries gold objects from sub-Saharan Africa had made their way to Europe.
