Prince Henry the Navigator

Born Porto, Protugal, mother Phillipa

Mar 4, 1394

Prince Henry the Navigator

Period: Mar 4, 1394 to Nov 13, 1460

Biography Prince Henry

Creates school for navigation skills

Aug 9, 1418

Prince Henry started the first school for oceanic navigation along with an astronomical observatory at Sagres, Portugal. In this school, people were trained in nagivation, map-making, and science, in order to sail down the west of Africa.

Made govorner of Order of Christ

May 25, 1420

Discover Azors

Aug 5, 1427

Begins exploration of Africa

Aug 1, 1430

Ship sponsored by Henry passes Cape Borajor

Aug 5, 1430

Access to commodities such as fabrics, spices, and gold motivated a European quest for a faster means to reach South Asia. It was this search that led the Portuguese down the coast of West Africa to Sierra Leone in 1460. Due to several technological and cultural advantages, Portugal dominated world trade for nearly 200 years, from the fifteenth to the sixteenth centuries.

Conquoring the Sea of Darkness

Aug 9, 1434

Cape Bojador is on the coast of Africa just below latitude 27° North (off the western Sahara Desert) and had frequent, violent storms and strong currents. The Europeans called the ocean beyond that point the "Sea of Darkness." Most sailors refused to go there. Prince Henry sent 14 expeditions there over 12 years, trying to go farther than Cape Bojador. Prince Henry convinced Gil Eannes to try, and Eannes succeeded in 1434.

Died November 15 how much

Aug 5, 1460

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