Prince Henry the Navigator was a Portuguese explorer, soldier and prince. Although Prince Henry rarely participated in explorations, he sent many expeditions from
Portugal
to the west coast of Africa, and was responsible for Portugal’s influence in the Great Age of Exploration.
The Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) launched the first great European voyages of exploration. He sought new lands and sources of revenue for his kingdom and dynasty and searched for
eastern Christian allies against Islam
.
Prince Henry the Navigator, the Hero of
Portugal
and of Modern Discovery, 1394–1460 A.D.: With an Account of Geographical Progress Throughout the Middle Ages As the Preparation for His Work.
What country did Henry sail for?
Henry Hudson made his first voyage west from
England
in 1607, when he was hired to find a shorter route to Asia from Europe through the Arctic Ocean. After twice being turned back by ice, Hudson embarked on a third voyage–this time on behalf of the Dutch East India Company–in 1609.
Truth is,
Prince Henry of Portugal never set sail on voyages of discovery
. A nobleman of English, French, and Spanish ancestry, Prince Henry gained his reputation by sponsoring many voyages of discovery along the western coast of Africa. Prince Henry had several reasons for dispatching his expeditions.
Henry the Navigator
, a 15th century Portuguese prince, helped usher in both the Age of Discovery and the Atlantic slave trade.
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.
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.
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.
Was Henry Hudson ever found?
Since
Hudson’s body was never found
, however, it will never be known for sure whether the captain was murdered or given a more subtle death sentence, set adrift in the harsh environment of northern Canada.
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.
Who discovered the route 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.
What did Prince Henry?
Prince Henry the Navigator (aka Infante Dom Henrique, 1394-1460) was a Portuguese prince who famously helped capture the North African city of Ceuta, sponsored voyages of exploration with the aim of building colonies in the North Atlantic and West Africa, and
began the Portuguese involvement in the African slave trade
.
What did the Portuguese do in order to try to create a trading post empire?
Portuguese mariners built the earliest trading -post empire. They did not want to conquer territories,
but to control trade routes by forcing merchant vessels to call at fortified trading sites and pay duties there
.
What years did Prince Henry explore?
He is credited with gathering navigators, scholars, and cartographers around him at Sagres, on the peninsula of St. Vincent overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. He used his wealth and influence to sponsor Portuguese voyages to the West Coast of Africa
between 1419 and 1460.
