Prince Henry the Navigator started the Portuguese explorations. His brothers had captured a Muslim stronghold in Morocco, there he learned about the riches of Africa.
.He hoped Portugal could gain some of these treasures, especially gold. He believed there was a river of gold somewhere in Africa.
He was very religious and also wanted to spread Christianity, he believed a myth about a Christian king in Africa called Prester John.
He hoped he would join with Prester John and defeat the Muslim enemies.
Prince Henry never actually sailed himself, he was more like a Patron during the Renaissance. He paid for ships to explore the coast of Africa. He set up a school for exploration where he brought together mapmakers, navigators, sailors and shipbuilders. They hoped to developed the caravel. On voyages his sailors mapped the coast line on maps called portolan charts. The island of Azores and Madeira were discovered. After a lot of failed attempts an expedition sailed around Cape Bojador, his voyages opened up trade links with African rulers, and gold and slaves began arriving in Portugal. By the time of his death of 2,400km of the African coastline had been mapped.
Portugal now led way in the explorations.

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junior cert history 12 mark question