PORTUGUESE EXPLORATION

C E U TA A N D B E YO N D

HENRY THE NAVIGATOR

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOREARLY LIFE• 1394-1460• Third son of King John I (Could never be king)• Learned astrology• Romantic fellow• Dreamed of military campaigns to win his own kingdom

Ceuta 1415• Wanted to win his spurs in combat instead of in a tournament• Invaded despite the Plague in Portugal (killed mother)• Fought under his father with his two brothers.• Emerged as the King’s Lieutenant for Ceuta

ADMINISTRATOR GENERAL: ORDER OF CHRIST

• Financed voyages along African Coast• Focused on trade

– Slaves– Gold

• Established colonies: Madeira Islands• Interest in Geography spurred by his older brother: Pedro

– Toured Europe– Learned of the real Muslim dangers– Marco Polo’s travels passed on to Henry

HENRY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Formed a team of knowledgeable mapmakers, geographers and navigators in Sagres.

• Sent ships to explore the western coast of Africa • Wanted to expand Portugal's trade influence. • Thought he could find and form an alliance with Prester

John, who ruled over a Christian empire somewhere in Africa. (Myth?)

• After all his work, the southern portion of Africa and what lay to the east—remained shrouded in mystery.

PORTUGUESE EXPLORATION OF THE AFRICAN COAST

VOYAGES CONTINUE

• Canary Islands do not pan out. (Lose them to Spain).• Venture further south

– Cape Bajador– Rio de Oro

• Colonized Azores• Senegal• Gambia River• Cape Verde Islands• Sierra Leone (furthest South)

SLAVERY

• First slaves arrive in Portugal in 1441.• Slave trade grows and by 1448, establish a warehouse and fort for

collection

Arguin Island

CARAVELS

BARTOLOMEU DIAS

VOYAGES CONTINUE

• Bartolomeu Dias • Ordered by the King to sail the southern end of Africa to find a route to Asia,

and to find the kingdom of Prester John (legendary medieval Christian priest and king).

– first European to sail around the tip of Africa• Rounded the southern tip of Africa in 1488• Named it Cape of STORMS (because of the violent storms in area)

• King John II renamed the cape to Cape of Good Hope (didn’t want to scare people off: encouraged more voyages)

• OOPS!! Dias dies in 1500 in a storm off the Cape of Good Hope!

VASCO DA GAMA

DA GAMA’S STORY

• Commissioned by King Manuel to find a maritime route to the East. • His success was one of the more instrumental moments in the history of

navigation. • He made two other voyages to India• Appointed as Portuguese viceroy in India in 1524.

But! That’s not the whole story…….

THE REST OF THE STORY……

• 1492: King John sent him to seize French ships as retaliation for their disruptions of Portuguese shipping.

• His success made him famous. In 1495, King Manuel took the throne. • King Manuel really wanted to destroy Islam and take over as the King of

Jerusalem.– First, establish trade with India.– Gave the job to da Gama.

• First voyage 1497– Kicked out of Mozambique, a Muslim city-state.– Went to present-day Kenya. Got a guide and sailed to India,

CALICUT, INDIA

• Confused: Never heard of the Hindu Religion!• Still the Hindu leader welcomed them• Muslim traders wanted them out!• Had to barter just to get enough supplies to go back to Portugal• Left in bad storms: lost lots of guys and ships!

– Took 1 year to get back!– 24,000 mile journey– 54 of 170 men survived!

TRY AGAIN

• Da Gama is a hero even though he did not reach a trade agreement!

• Second voyage led by Pedro Álvarez Cabral.– Founded Brazil along the way!– Fought off Muslim traders. Killed 600!– Opened Portugal’s first trading post in India.

DA GAMA BACK AT THE HELM!

• Third voyage led by da Gama with 20 ships.• King Manuel wanted to secure Portugal’s dominance in the region.

– Da Gama terrorized Muslim ports up and down the east coast of Africa.– Set a Muslim ship returning from Mecca on fire: killed hundreds, including

women and children.– In Calicut, destroyed the trade center, killing 38 hostages.– Moved on to Cochin in India and set up an alliance with the local ruler.

• Died in Cochin while acting as the King’s Viceroy in India.