Prince Henry - the Navigator (Homework)

Go through the notes about Prince Henry - the Navigator and then
answer fully the following questions.
1. Who was Prince Henry the navigator?
- Prince Henry the Navigator was the third son of King John I of Portugal
and Philippa of Lancaster

2. What is he recognised for?

- He is recognized for being the mastermind to the exploration of the African
coast undertaken by Portugal during the 15th century, which lead first to the
discovery of a sea-route from Europe to Asia and shortly thereafter to the
discovery of the New World.

3. Although he was called the navigator, Prince Henry never actually

sailed on any of the voyages of discovery.
a) How did Prince Henry contribute to the voyages of explorations?
- (i) He paid for many sailing expeditions, (ii) He employed cartographers who
created newer maps and (iii) Prince Henry’s navigation school and willingness
to fund voyages led Portugal to be the first European country to explore the
west coast of Africa and the sea route to Asia
b) What allowed sailors to better guide their ships and to come up with new
ship designs
- Under Henry’s direction, a new and lighter ship was developed, the Caravel,
which would allow sea captains to sail further and faster.

4. What was Prince Henry’s goal in exploration?

Prince Henry’s goal in exploration was to find a route to the rich spice trade of
the Indies and to explore the west coast of Africa
5. What was the problem with the land passage to India?
- The passage to India by land was long, slow, and dangerous.
 a) What was it thought about the ocean and Africa during Henry’s time?
- In Henry’s time, the ocean was thought to be very dangerous and Africa
was a mysterious land that seemed to contain endless miles of sand

b) What was the common belief about the shape of the world before the
voyages of exploration?
- It was common belief that the shape of the world was round before the
voyages of exploration.
c) Explain the conquest of Cape Bojador.
- In 1434 brave Portuguese navigators, sent by Prince Henry, in this case, Gil
Eanes conquered the Cape Bojador. And in the following years they headed
south discovering for the first time Africa’s coast and the Age of the
Discoveries begins.
d) Explain the fears about the cape Bojador
- The sea at Cape Bojador was known to swallow whole ships that sunk in its
giant waves, consumed by fire, with crews at the mercy of feared sea
monsters. A suicidal mission from which there was no return.

6. Why was Portugal the first country to explore West Africa and the sea
route to India?
- Portugal was the first country to explore West Africa and the sea route
to India because of Prince Henry’s navigation school and willingness to
fund voyages