Figure 1.--

The accumulating knowledge of geopgraphy and improvements in shipbuilding and navoigation led Prince Henry and King John II of Portugal to seek a route to the Indies through the still largely unknown Atlantic. Portuguese mariners began sailing south along the coast of Africa. Information provided by travelers was refined by explorers who began to sail south along the African coast. Each voyage added to the accumulating data and gradually improving maps and charts. The Portuguese eventually reached the equator (1471). One unaswered question of history is just how much Portuguese navigators knew. Some historians argue that it was the Portuguese who first discovered the America, landing in Brazil. Even a cursory study of the may suggests that Portuguese saemen sailing south must have stumbled on the buldge of Brazil where it juts out ibnto the South Atlantic. Unfortunately we will never know as the famed Portuguese archive was lost to fire. We do know, of course, that Bartholomeu Dias reached the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa (1486), showing that Ptolemy was wrong about the possibility of a sea route to Asia. Vasco da Gama reached India (1498). Portugal was thus the first European nation to reach India, the Indies, and China. Soon after Columbus first reached Ameruica, Pedro Alvares Cabral (1467-1520) discovered Brazil (1500). Gaspar Corte Real sailed to North America and although he founded no colony helped to found a flourishing fishery. Ferdinand Magellan (1480?-1521) served in the forces of the Portugese crown involved in military campaigns in India and the Spice Islands (1508-12). Magellan conceived of reaching the Spice Islands (Indonesia) via the Atlantic, but King Emanuel was uninterested, causing Magellan to renounce his Portuguese citizenship.

Geographical Information

The accumulating knowledge of geopgraphy and improvements in shipbuilding and navoigation led Prince Henry and King John II of Portugal to seek a route to the Indies through the still largely unknown Atlantic. Prince Henry the Navigator founded the Institute at Sagres on the southwestern-most point of Portugal, Cape Saint Vincent (1415). The site was closeky chisen. Classical geographers called it the western edge of the earth. The Prince's Institute might be described as a 15th century think tank and research center. The first such facility in Europe and one that would not be recreated until the 19th century. The Institute included libraries, an astronomical observatory, ship-building facilities, a chapel, and necessary housing for the staff. Prince Henry wanted to train Portuguese mariners in navigational skills and to improve vessel design. The library was created to collect geographical and navigational information. Pronce Henry employed the leading geographers, cartographers, astronomers, and mathematicians from around Europe to work at the Institute. In addition to building a storehouse of geographical data, the Portuguese developed a new type of ship, called a caravel. It was both fast and maneuverable. A major purpose was the riches to be gained by trade with the East which was blocked by the Ottomans and Arabs. And at any rate Portugal did not hace a Mediterranean coast. The Institute was to support expeditions to the East which could supply Europe with porcelin, spices, silk, and other valuable trade goods. But also important to the Portuguese was spreading Christianity. Prince Henry hoped to find Prestor John. He did not, but as a result of the Institute, Portuguese navigators diminated the first phase of the European outreach to the rest of the world. Portugal was a very small country. They faced the danger of competition from other European countries, especially their larger neighbor Spain. The Portuguese were thus extremely secrative about their findings. They kept their navigational charts and the location of trading posts secret as much as possible. They composed faked documents to protect thir secrets and to confuse competitors. As a result, historians are unsure today just how much the Portuguese knew an even actual Portuguese documents have to be treated with caution. One of the main issues is the Americas. Some historians speculate that Portuguese expeditions headed south had landed on the coast of what is now Brazil. And the way the coast of Brazil juts out into the South Atlantic, this seems a destinct possibility. Portuguese fisherman on the Grand Banks may have even provided information about North America. Thus King John II may have access to very valuavle geographic information. Some suggest that this explains why he wanted a more westerly line in the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494). Some historians believe that the major documents with real data wwre archived in the Library of Lisbon. Unfortunately, Lisbon was struck by a devestating earthquake (1755). The university library were destroyed in the earthquate and resulting fire. This we will probably never know just how much the Portuguese actually knew.

Africa

Portuguese mariners began sailing south along the coast of Africa. Information provided by travelers was refined by explorers who began to sail south along the African coast. Prince Henry dispatched 15 expeditions to navigate south, but all filed to pass Cape Bojador south of the Canaries (1424-34). Until the 15th century while the Arabs for centuries had operated in sub-Saharan Africa, Christian Europe had no knowledge of it. Rumors spread that sea monsters blocked the pasage south. Finally, Captain Gil Eannes attempted the voyage (1434). He first sailed west rather than south. Than he turned south, only heading eastward after passibg the Cape. It was a major breakthrough for Portuguese explorers. After this, Portuguese explpration of the Africa coast pushed steadily south. Each voyage added to the accumulating data and gradually improving maps and charts. The Portuguese reached Cape Blanc (1441). Captain Eannes returned with the first boatload of enslaved Africans (1444). The Portugese reached the important Gambia River (1446). Prince Henry the Navigator died (1460). His nephew King John II continued the work at Sagres. The Portuguese eventually reached the equator (1471). It was the Institute at Sagres that Prince Henry founded which would support expeditions progressively further south which would eventually round the Cape of Good Hope and sail east to India, the Spice islands, and eventually China.

America

One unaswered question of history is just how much Portuguese navigators knew. Some historians argue that it was the Portuguese who first discovered the Americas, landing in Brazil. Even a cursory study of the map suggests that Portuguese saemen sailing south must have stumbled on the buldge of Brazil where it juts out ibnto the South Atlantic. Unfortunately we will never know as the famed Portuguese archive was lost to fire. Pedro Alvares Cabral (1467-1520) discovered Brazil (1500). Gaspar Corte Real sailed to North America and although he founded no colony helped to found a flourishing fishery.

Indian Ocean

We do know, of course, that Bartholomeu Dias reached the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa (1486), showing that Ptolemy was wrong about the possibility of a sea route to Asia. Vasco da Gama reached India (1498). Portugal was thus the first European nation to reach India, the Indies, and China. This was an accomplishment od enormous importance. Portugal thus broke the Mamreluke-Venetian monopoly. The balance of power not only began to shift from eastern to wrsten Rurope, bur in fsact from Asia to Europe. It opened a new chapter in international reltions. Soon after Columbus first reached America. Ferdinand Magellan (1480?-1521) served in the forces of the Portugese crown involved in military campaigns in India.

Pacific Ocean

Magellan also fought for the Poruguese in the Spice Islands (1508-12). Magellan conceived of reaching the Spice Islands (Indonesia) via the Atlantic, but King Emanuel was uninterested, causing Magellan to renounce his Portuguese citizenship.

Created: October 12, 2003
Last updated: 5:29 PM 10/31/2008