Henry the Navigator and the great geographical discoveries. The discoveries of Enrique the Navigator What lands were discovered by Henry the Navigator
The ruling house of Portugal dates back to the Capetian dynasty, more precisely, from its first Burgundian branch. The first count of Portugal, Henry (Enrique), conquered the county in the fight against the Moors in 1095. He was the grandson of the founder of the Burgundian branch, Robert, and the younger brother of the Duke of Burgundy. According to another version, Henry of Portugal was the offspring of the Hungarian Arpad dynasty, but this version has no confirmation. In 1139, the Kingdom of Portugal was formed, and three periods can be distinguished in the history of its ruling house. The transition from one period to another was always accompanied by a sharp dynastic struggle, but all the new dynasties that came to power, one way or another, were related to each other.
The life and work of Henry the Navigator coincided with the second period in the history of the ruling house, which began with Henry's father, Joan (his name is also found in literature as Joan and John). The second period lasted from 1385 to 1580 and entered the history of Portugal as the period of the Avis dynasty. Joan was the illegitimate brother of the last member of the previous dynasty, Fernando I, who died in 1383. By law, since Fernando had no sons, the Portuguese crown was to pass to the Castilian king Juan I, who was married to Fernando's daughter and, therefore, his son-in-law. However, the Portuguese did not want to be under the rule of Castile, which led to an armed struggle. An uprising began in the country, and the widow of Fernando, Leonor, who supported the Castilian party, had to flee. In 1384, she officially renounced power in favor of the Castilian king.
In early 1384, Castilian troops led by Juan invaded Portugal. They were opposed by the forces of the townspeople and part of the nobility, as well as the majority of the population of the southern and part of the central regions of the country. One of the leaders of the fight against the Castilians was Joan. The military campaign of 1384 was successful for Juan I - he managed to defeat the Portuguese fleet and besiege Lisbon by land and sea. The siege of the capital lasted five months, but suddenly a disease began to spread in the Castilian army, leading to numerous deaths. Juan urgently lifted the siege and withdrew to Seville.
In March 1385, Cortes were convened in Coimbra, which proclaimed Joan king, and already in July the Portuguese defeated Juan's troops at Troncoso, and on August 14 a decisive battle took place between the troops at Aljubarrota, where the Portuguese won a landslide victory. Joan fought bravely in the front ranks of his army, and after the victory he gave all the booty to the soldiers, also rewarding those who distinguished themselves with titles and lands. In subsequent years, Joan strengthened his power, bringing to submission those cities and regions that still remained loyal to the Castilians - Juan and his wife Beatrice. Joan even undertook a campaign in Castile, but it ended in failure. The struggle continued for many more years, until a lasting peace was concluded in 1411 and the Castilian king Juan II finally abandoned his claims to Portugal.
Having made peace with Castile, Joan resumed the war against the infidels with the aim of capturing the large and rich city of Ceuta in Africa. Three sons accompanied him on a military campaign, and in July 1415 Ceuta was taken by the Portuguese.
Joan I was on the throne for almost 50 years. Before becoming King of Portugal, he led the Order of Avis. Spiritual and knightly orders have always remained the military and political power of the kingdom. Often, the bastard son of the king became the head of the order - this is how Joan himself got this post of master of the Order of Avis. Already under him, his numerous sons were at the head of the orders. Retaining the importance of the military support of the kingdom, the orders began to engage in other activities, one of which was the development of the sea and new lands.
This activity reached its peak under the younger son of Joan I, Henry, who went down in history as Henry the Navigator. Henry's mother was Philippa, daughter of John Guant, and on his mother's side, Henry was a cousin of the English King Henry V.
Heinrich, or rather Prince Enrique, received the nickname "Seafarer" after his death for his merits in the exploration of new lands. Indeed, he was one of the most famous people of the beginning of the era of geographical discoveries. He himself did not take part in voyages to the shores of uncharted lands, but regularly equipped and financed expeditions. Therefore, it is a little strange that in the 19th century he received such a nickname.
Almost nothing is known about the prince's childhood. He probably received the usual education and upbringing for his status, but it is also likely that he had a passion for various sciences, since he later showed extraordinary knowledge in mathematics, astronomy and geography.
He gained his first fame as a warrior, and at the age of 20 he distinguished himself in the capture of Ceuta, participating under the leadership of his father in a military campaign against the Moors. In subsequent military campaigns, he became so famous that Pope Martin V offered him the post of commander of his army. Henry received similar offers from King Henry V of England and from Emperor Sigismund, but refused them. While still in Morocco, Henry was interested in the hinterland of Africa. He learned about the existence of the legendary Christian state of "Prester John", which, according to rumors, was located somewhere in Africa. Portugal was at constant war with the Moors, and Henry's dream was to unite the two Christian states in the fight against a common enemy. In addition, he knew that gold was transported by caravan route from the Guinean coast of Africa to the Muslim ports of the Mediterranean. And if a sea route was laid, then, as he dreamed, this gold could be transported to Lisbon, thereby taking it away from the infidels. And Heinrich decided to devote his life to the realization of his dream.
He refused all offers of a military career and retired to Cape San Vicente and settled in Sagris, making it his residence. He founded there a spiritual and knightly order, called the "Order of Christ", and studied everything that was connected with the sea. Sparing no expense, Heinrich built new shipyards and built ships. Portuguese captains did not dare to take ships on long journeys, but sailed along the coast. They called the Atlantic Ocean the "Sea of Darkness", and swimming on it was considered a dangerous occupation. And the African coast was unknown. In the time of Henry, it was known that beyond the desert (Sahara) there were territories rich in gold, to which the Moors knew the caravan route, but no one had ever sailed there by sea and, of course, there were no navigational charts. Heinrich collected any information about those lands, and he himself tried to put them on maps that he drew with his own hand. According to a contemporary, Henry sought to find out “the lands lying beyond the Canary Islands and the cape called Boyador (Bochador), because until then no one, either from written sources or from human memory, probably knew anything about those lying behind this cape lands."
The main ship of those times was a caravel - a small vessel with a displacement of not more than 200 tons, convenient for fishing and transporting goods. Under Henry, the ship underwent some changes: it became a little lighter and was equipped with three or more masts with oblique (Latin) sails, which allowed it to be more maneuverable and sail against the wind.
The first expedition was sent in 1416. She passed along the western coast of Morocco, but the captains were afraid to continue the journey because of rumors that further in the south the lands were barren and deserted, since there is such heat that the ships themselves light up. But the first failure did not stop Prince Enrique. He stubbornly went to the goal. He asked everyone - sailors, merchants, cartographers, foreigners calling at ports, who could give him at least some information about the issues that interested him. He did not even neglect the advice of the Moors. Through his supporters, Henry kept in touch with European countries. More and more expeditions were sent from the port of Lagos, setting off along the western coast of Africa. Heinrich demanded that the captains inform him of all, even the most insignificant, open harbors and trade routes, and carefully mapped all new information.
His perseverance, though not immediately, was crowned with a “victory”. In 1420, an expedition sent by Henry discovered the island of Madeira, which was colonized a few years later, becoming the first Portuguese foreign port. Then, in 1434, Captain Gilles Eanes managed to round Cape Bojador, advancing further than all European navigators of that time. Two years later, another captain sent by Henry, Gonçalves, reached the bay of Rio de Oro, and in 1441, Portuguese ships reached Cape Blanche.
João Gonçalves was the first to bring gold and slaves to Portugal. Prince Enrique immediately informed the pope of the discovery of a country of barbarian peoples, lying outside the territory of the Muslim world. He asked Pope Eugene IV to grant Portugal open lands and those that would still be open, in order to bring the peoples living on them into the bosom of the Catholic Church. The Pope, of course, gave such permission, and subsequent pontiffs always confirmed it.
Many more expeditions were sent by Heinrich. Thanks to his efforts, the Cape Verde Islands, the Azores were discovered, the Lanzarote expedition discovered the mouth of the Senegal River, and in total about three and a half thousand kilometers of the West African coast were mapped. The last expedition sent by him went to sea in 1458. In the last years of his life, he developed plans for establishing a through sea route to India. Heinrich was the founder of navigational science. At home in Sagrisha, he founded an observatory and opened the first nautical school, inviting the best foreign specialists to work in it.
Documents from that era depict Heinrich as a man fanatically devoted to science and the Christian faith. His main goals in life were to find new lands for Portugal and new souls for the Christian church. Family ties for the prince practically did not exist. This is evidenced by the fact that when his own brother was captured during a military expedition and a large ransom was demanded for him, Henry opposed "such a ruinous waste", although it was considered a great shame to leave a royal son in captivity. Heinrich's brother spent several years in captivity and died, having received the title of Saint Infante.
Henry the Navigator died on November 13, 1460 and was buried in the chapel of the monastery of Batalha. He failed to open a sea route to India, but in the same 1460, the one who did this was born - Vasco da Gama.
Life story
Henry (Enrique) the Navigator - a Portuguese prince, nicknamed the Navigator. For 40 years, he equipped and sent numerous sea expeditions to explore the Atlantic coast of Africa, creating the prerequisites for the formation of a powerful colonial empire of Portugal. Born March 4, 1394 in Porto. The third son of King Joan I (founder of the Avis dynasty) and his wife Philippa of Lancaster (daughter of John of Gaunt).
In 1415, Prince Henry, together with his father, took part in a military campaign, as a result of which the Moorish fortress of Ceuta, located on the African coast of Gibraltar, was taken. There he learned that caravans loaded with gold, following from the Niger River valley, crossed the Sahara, but decided that Portugal should look for sea routes to the gold-bearing lands of Guinea. Thus was the beginning (since 1416) of a long and well-organized campaign of sea expeditions. The ships moved along the African continent and returned to Portugal, using a wide belt of tailwinds and coastal currents. One of the results of these expeditions was the discovery of Madeira (1418–1419) and the Azores (1427–1431).
Madeira Island, located 900 km southwest of Portugal, became the first Portuguese colony. On his lands began to grow sugar cane and planted vineyards.
The exploration of Africa itself was fraught with great difficulties, for example, Cape Bojador in the south of the Canary Islands posed a great danger to navigation. But the southern route to the tropical lands of Africa was finally opened - in 1434 Gilles Ianish rounded the cape.
Henry was strongly influenced by his brother Prince Pedro, the king's second son. In 1418–1428 he visited many of the royal courts of Europe. Later, Pedro arrived in Venice, where he observed with interest the trade of the Venetians with the eastern countries, and where he was presented with the manuscript of the Book of Marco Polo. After reviewing the manuscript, Heinrich invited the captains of their ships to collect information about the sea route to India, as well as about the African Christian country of Ethiopia. He hoped to reach this land by bypassing the Muslim countries from the southeast. In this he was supported by his brother Pedro.
After the second campaign in Ceuta (1418), Henry established his residence in the Algarve, the southernmost province of Portugal, where the reliable bay of Lagos was located. In 1443, Henry received at his disposal Sagrish, the southwestern point of Portugal at Cape San Vicente, or, as it was then called, the "Sacred Cape." There, at the expense of the Portuguese spiritual and knightly order of Christ, of which he was the head, the prince founded an observatory and a nautical school. Called Villa do Infante, it became a center of attraction for prominent scientists, cartographers and astronomers of the time.
Henry's life was a chain of personal tragedies. In 1437, together with his younger brother Ferdinand, he participated in an unsuccessful expedition to Tangier; Ferdinand was taken prisoner by the Moors and imprisoned, where he died because Henry failed to ransom him. After that, in 1438, his older brother, King Duarte, died. The middle brother Pedro became regent, but, having started a fight with the pretender to the throne, Alfonso V, he was killed at Alfarrobeyre in 1449.
All these events led to the fact that the expeditions were organized by Henry sporadically, and long intervals appeared in their schedule. Nevertheless, in 1444 Henry's captains discovered the Senegal River, two years later they reached the Gebe River in Sierra Leone. South of this point, during the life of Henry, the Portuguese could not advance. In 1455 and 1456 the Venetian Alvise da Cadamosto, the most famous of Henry's skippers, sailed up the Gambia River in the Gambia, and the following year discovered the coast of the Cape Verde Islands. At this time, a massive trade in African slaves began, the center of which was located in Argen, not far from Cape Blanco. Henry encouraged the slave trade, and considered the act of baptizing slaves as a way to save their souls. The prince's expeditions began to generate income and, in the eyes of the Portuguese nobles and merchants, Henry turned into a national hero.
Henry's last years were spent in almost complete seclusion in Sagrisha, surrounded only by members of his "university", although in 1458 he accompanied a successful expedition to Tangier and further south to Arquila. He then returned to Saghris on the "Sacred Cape", where he died on November 13, 1460.
When they talk about the era of great geographical discoveries, his name is remembered last. Although, thanks to the efforts of this romantic long-distance voyage and a fanatical crusader warrior, Portugal began the colonial seizure of Africa, and black slaves were first brought to Europe. But the organizer of these trips himself went to sea only three times in his entire life and no further than 200 miles. And yet, the Portuguese Prince Henry deservedly bore the proud nickname "navigator".
Infante Heinrich or Enrique, born in 1394, was the son of King João I of Portugal and Philippe of Lancaster, who brought the tradition of British chivalry to the country. Enrique and his brothers were taught the seven knightly virtues - writing poetry, riding, fencing, playing checkers, hunting and swimming, but most of all the young man was interested in owning a spear, although he did not neglect the study of natural sciences and theology. Chivalry as a military and religious service determined the whole subsequent life of Henry. At the age of 21, he initiated the capture of the Moorish fortress in northern Africa.
Only 150 miles - such was the length of the first sea voyage, the future inspirer of the Portuguese sea conquests.
The defense of Ceuta, a new outpost of the Portuguese on the African coast, was entrusted by the king to Infante Henry. To do this, part of the income of the treasury passed into the complete and uncontrolled conduct of the prince, and after 5 years the prince became the Grand Master of the Order of the Cross.
Now, in the hands of the navigator, enormous power was concentrated: spiritual, military and financial. And Prince Henry disposed of this power in the best way for Portugal. From freed Christian slaves, he learned about the caravans that transported gold from the coast of Guinea through the African desert to the Muslim ports of the Mediterranean. Known in geography, the prince decided that Guinea could be reached by sea, then the treasures taken from the infidels could be taken to Lisbon. In addition, bypassing Muslim territories from the south, one can reach Christian Ethiopia and begin profitable trade with it, and then reach India itself by sea.
Scientific curiosity, reinforced by accurate geographical maps found in Ceuta, was mixed with the Infante's conquest plans. And when Henry's brother Prince Pedro brought from Venice the manuscript of the already famous traveler Marco Polo, the Infante firmly decided that the lands lie south of Ceuta.
Prince Henry took up the organization of sea expeditions to the northwestern coast of Africa. At the insistence of the prince, in 1431 astronomy and mathematics were included in the program of the University of Lisbon. In 1438, near Cape St. Vincent, in the fortress of Sagres, Prince Henry organized an observatory and a nautical school, Villa de Infante. Prominent scientists, astronomers, cartographers and navigators from all over Europe were invited there, and the navigator prince participated in discussions along with scientists. Everyone worthy was admitted to the school, regardless of class, religious and ethnic differences, which was unusual for Catholic Portugal in the 15th century.
Through the efforts of the prince, the nautical school of Villa de Infanta became the first scientific center in European history. A huge wind rose 43 meters in diameter is still preserved in the fortress - a diagram of long-term observations of the direction and strength of the wind. Inspired by the support of the prince, the captains of the Portuguese caravels discovered the island of Madeira in 1418. At the same time, the navigator began to explore new lands and soon the first settlers appeared in Madeira, and wine began to be delivered to the Metropolis - a rare quality even for wine-growing Portugal.
Then, for decades, Henry stubbornly equipped sea expeditions to the Canary Islands, but the captains could not get past the underwater rocks at Cape Bojador. Sailing ships received holes on the ill-fated cape, where, as it was believed at that time, dragons were found, and sank.
But in 1434, having rounded it from the side of the open ocean, one of the captains opened the way to West Africa, and Henry received the honorary title of "navigator".
But why did Henry the Navigator himself never go on long-distance sea expeditions?
It was believed that the prince was afraid of pirates or that he considered it insulting for a person of royal blood to be among the sailors, but most likely the prince considered it his main business to analyze the reports of the captains, separate truth from fiction and equip new sea voyages. The romantic of distant wanderings Henry the Navigator deliberately closed the sea for himself.
Henry the Navigator never married. Restrained and gloomy, he considered himself guilty of the death of his younger brother Ferdinand, who was captured by the Moors during their unsuccessful sea expedition to Tangier in 1437.
Heinrich spent his last years in Sagrisha, surrounded by students of his nautical school. Two years before his death, he briefly went to sea for the third time.
Henry the Navigator died on November 13, 1460.
His work was continued by the famous Portuguese sailors Bartolomeo Dias, Vasco da Gamma and the greatest of the Infante's followers, Ferdinand Magellan. They owe their achievements to the Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator - the man on the coat of arms, which was inscribed: "Talent for good deeds."
Henry (Enrique) Navigator (born March 4, 1394 - death November 13, 1460) - Portuguese prince (Duke of Viseu, ruler of the Algarve, Master of the Order of Christ), son of King Joao I. Great traveler, explorer, colonizer. For 40 years, he equipped and sent numerous sea expeditions to explore the Atlantic coast of Africa, creating the prerequisites for the formation of a powerful colonial empire of Portugal.
What is Henry the Navigator known for?
The Portuguese prince Henry can rightly be considered one of the most significant figures of the pre-initial period of the Age of Discovery, who went down in history under the name of Henry the Navigator. This kind of nickname, given to a man who had never made a single sea voyage, could hardly be considered well-deserved if it were not for his unique contribution to the development of marine research, which resulted in the discovery of the entire northwestern coast of Africa and the emergence of Portugal on the front lines. boundaries of colonial expansion due to geographical discoveries.
Perhaps it was precisely thanks to his efforts that Portugal, the first of the European states, purposefully carried out sea expeditions to establish trade relations with African and Asian countries, as well as to find new routes to India, where spices, popular in Europe and bringing huge profits, grew in abundance.
Origin. early years
The third son of King John the Great of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster was born in 1394. Since childhood, he heard stories and legends about the wars with the Moors and mysterious Africa. In those days, Europeans knew only its northern part, but this was enough for the prince to have a great interest in the lands lying south of Europe.
Capture of the fortress of Ceuta
1415 - the young man participated in the siege of the Moroccan fortress of Ceuta, where he was shown outstanding courage. With a handful of men, he twice dispersed the crowds of the Muslims, and yet he was able to seize the gates of the inner wall between the lower city and the citadel. The monarch decided that for the valor shown by Enrique, the first of his sons would be knighted. However, the prince asked that "those who are older than him may exercise their right to be first in honor as well." As a result, all the princes received a knighthood in the order of birth. In their hands were swords, which the queen handed to them on her deathbed, seeing off her sons to battle.
Before the prince opened the possibility of an easy and pleasant life at the court of any European sovereign, where he would spend time among pleasures in a crowd of many fans. So did his brother Pedro, later nicknamed the Traveler, although all his travels were usually limited to royal courts. But the prince preferred to lead the life of a scientist and travel organizer for the benefit of Portugal.
Research. Political activity
Realizing the importance of scientific knowledge, on Cape Sagres (modern San Vicente) in the Algarve province, the extreme southwestern point of Portugal and all of Europe, Enrique built a palace. Soon a whole city was formed around it, in honor of the infante it was called "Vila do Infante". Thanks to Prince Pedro, who collected travel books and maps throughout Europe for his brother, a library appeared here. With the help of the Italians - the best sailors of that era - the prince was able to arrange an astronomical observatory, as well as the world's first school of navigation and a naval arsenal. Scientists astronomers, navigators, experts in navigational instruments were invited here. Here they made the most accurate maps for those times.
The prince lived on Sagres for 40 years, until his death, and during this time he was only twice distracted by solving the political problems of Portugal, although he enjoyed the reputation of a judge in national disputes, a people's leader and teacher. He spent all his time in research. He himself drew maps, made instruments, equipped ships, received captains' reports.
Describing the personal qualities of Infante Heinrich, it should be noted the difficulties that he had to face as the organizer of expeditions into the unknown.
In those days, it was believed that the western coast of Africa was inaccessible for research: it was assumed that the borders of the known world were Capes Nun (“No” - “There is no further way”) or Bojador (“Convex”) and that they were allegedly guarded by sea currents and winds, which will certainly carry the ships far from the coast to the "Sea of Green Gloom", from where there is no return. The tropical zone was also considered unsuitable for habitation, where the sun burns all living things, and people, when approaching this zone, turn black or die from the heat.
Despite this, the prince encouraged researchers in every possible way to overcome imaginary and real obstacles and was able to achieve significant results in this, acting in the most difficult initial period of the Portuguese expansion, which the state owed to him.
The struggle of the Christian states of the Iberian Peninsula with the Moors, apparently, influenced the strategy and tactics of Henry's actions. Being by the decision of the Pope since 1420 the Grand Master (Master) of the Order of Christ, who fought against Moorish influence and the spread of Christianity, he initially sought to establish ties with the state of "Priest King John", to join forces in the fight against Islam. According to the ideas of that time, it was necessary to look for it in the "African India" - Ethiopia. In addition, during the war with the Moors in 1415, Henry in Morocco collected some information about Inner Africa, including the gold trade between the inhabitants of the Guinean coast and the Arabs. The victory of Portugal in the fight for gold promised obvious benefits. According to the prince, beyond the Gold Coast there should have been a way to India, where the Portuguese could acquire vast possessions. Thus, Africa became the place that Enrique intended to explore in the first place.
Contribution to maritime business
In 1412 or 1416, the first expedition set out to explore the western coast of Morocco. The ships reached Cape Bojador, but returned, frightened by the inconstancy of currents, winds and shoals, considering all this to be the machinations of storm demons. But in 1434, Gilles Eannish, sent by the prince, was able to overcome the terrible cape and return with the news that sailing was possible for him. As a gift to Enrique, he brought roses, which served as proof that the country beyond the cape was not devoid of vegetation. In the next two years, Henry advanced another 290 miles to the south.
War. Capturing a brother
1437 - travel was forced to be interrupted due to the war against Tangier. The prince led the Portuguese troops, but, despite his valor, he never managed to take the well-fortified city. Moreover, the younger brother of the prince, Fernando, remained in the hands of the Moors as a hostage. The enemy demanded in exchange for his freedom to return the city of Ceuta. The prince himself wanted to stay with the Moors, but the army, which saw in him the only support, opposed, and Enrique, reluctantly, was forced to retreat. All his further attempts to free his brother came to nothing. The Portuguese could not afford the loss of Ceuta and chose to give up the prince. Fernando died in captivity in 1443.
Research is ongoing. Discoveries. Death
Finally, affairs of state allowed the prince to return to Sagres. 1441 - voyages were resumed and from that time they were made regularly. Their result was the exploration of the entire northwestern coast of Africa, including the discovery of the mouth of Senegal and Cape Verde, which was the greatest surprise of that era. It was believed that there could be no vegetation on both sides of the equator due to high temperatures. Therefore, the meager vegetation of the cape, which stood out favorably against the backdrop of deserts, aroused hope for the proximity of the southern tip of the continent. With even greater energy, the captains, directed by Henry the Navigator, rushed in search of her. But the prince was not destined to wait for this discovery. He died on November 13, 1460 in the palace he created on Sagres and was buried in the monastery of St. Mary da Batalha.
Heinrich equipped his first sea expedition in the nineteenth year of the 15th century. He annexed a whole group of islands to Portugal:
Madeira
Azores
Cape Verde
Portuguese sailors were the first among Europeans to be able to bypass Cape Nun. Then it was considered impassable, because all ships sank on the way to it. In this regard, many legends about sea monsters devouring people were born. The prince was able to bypass the cape and erected several fortresses on the Guinean coast.
In the year of Enrique's death, almost 30 years remained before the travel of Bartolomeu Dias, who circled Africa from the south in 1488. But both it and the opening of the sea route to India, which gave a powerful impetus to the exploration of the planet, would have been impossible without the enormous work of Henry the Navigator, whose mind and will drove the Portuguese captains further and further south to unexplored shores.
In world history, Henry the Navigator is also known from a negative side. 1442 - he approved the actions of Antan Goncalves, who first brought black slaves from Rio de Oro, and as a result became the initiator of the slave trade. However, in this case, too, he was guided by noble motives, believing that blacks should be brought to Portugal only for a while, to convert to Christianity, and then returned to their homeland. Nevertheless, the result of these considerations cast a shadow on his name, but enabled Portugal to acquire the right granted by Pope Eugene IV to the pagan lands discovered when traveling beyond Cape Bojador, including India. To a large extent, this, as well as the discovery of a gold deposit on the African coast, contributed to the revival of the Portuguese sea voyages in the 15th century.
Heinrich went to sea three times in his entire life.
He blamed himself for the death of his younger brother, who was captured.
He never married, devoting himself to the study of maritime affairs.
Absolutely everyone was admitted to the nautical school opened by the prince, regardless of class.
The Portuguese cherish the memory of Henry the Navigator. Back in the 18th century, a marble monument was erected at the gates of his fortress-palace on Sagres with the image of the Portuguese coat of arms, a caravel in full sail and a globe with the inscription: “Aeternum sacrum” (“Forever sacred”).
HEINRICH THE NAVIGator(1394-1460), correctly Enrique (Dom Enrique o Navigator), Portuguese prince, nicknamed the Navigator. For 40 years, he equipped and sent numerous sea expeditions to explore the Atlantic coast of Africa, creating the prerequisites for the formation of a powerful colonial empire of Portugal. Born March 4, 1394 in Porto. The third son of King Joan I (founder of the Avis dynasty) and his wife Philippa of Lancaster (daughter of John of Gaunt).
In 1415, Prince Henry, together with his father, took part in a military campaign, as a result of which the Moorish fortress of Ceuta, located on the African coast of Gibraltar, was taken. There he learned that caravans loaded with gold, following from the Niger River valley, crossed the Sahara, but decided that Portugal should look for sea routes to the gold-bearing lands of Guinea. Thus was the beginning (since 1416) of a long and well-organized campaign of sea expeditions. The ships moved along the African continent and returned to Portugal, using a wide belt of tailwinds and coastal currents. One of the results of these expeditions was the discovery of Madeira (1418–1419) and the Azores (1427–1431).
Madeira Island, located 900 km southwest of Portugal, became the first Portuguese colony. On his lands began to grow sugar cane and planted vineyards.
The exploration of Africa itself was fraught with great difficulties, for example, Cape Bojador in the south of the Canary Islands posed a great danger to navigation. But the southern route to the tropical lands of Africa was finally opened - in 1434 Gilles Ianish rounded the cape.
Henry was strongly influenced by his brother Prince Pedro, the king's second son. In 1418–1428 he visited many of the royal courts of Europe. Later, Pedro arrived in Venice, where he observed with interest the trade of the Venetians with the eastern countries, and where he was presented with a manuscript Books Marco Polo . After reviewing the manuscript, Heinrich invited the captains of their ships to collect information about the sea route to India, as well as about the African Christian country of Ethiopia. He hoped to reach this land by bypassing the Muslim countries from the southeast. In this he was supported by his brother Pedro.
After the second campaign in Ceuta (1418), Henry established his residence in the Algarve, the southernmost province of Portugal, where the reliable bay of Lagos was located. In 1443, Henry received at his disposal Sagrish, the southwestern point of Portugal at Cape San Vicente, or, as it was then called, the "Sacred Cape." There, at the expense of the Portuguese spiritual and knightly order of Christ, of which he was the head, the prince founded an observatory and a nautical school. Called Villa do Infante, it became a center of attraction for prominent scientists, cartographers and astronomers of the time.
Henry's life was a chain of personal tragedies. In 1437, together with his younger brother Ferdinand, he participated in an unsuccessful expedition to Tangier; Ferdinand was taken prisoner by the Moors and imprisoned, where he died because Henry failed to ransom him. After that, in 1438, his older brother, King Duarte, died. The middle brother Pedro became regent, but, having started a fight with the pretender to the throne, Alfonso V, he was killed at Alfarrobeyre in 1449.
All these events led to the fact that the expeditions were organized by Henry sporadically, and long intervals appeared in their schedule. Nevertheless, in 1444 Henry's captains discovered the Senegal River, two years later they reached the Gebe River in Sierra Leone. South of this point, during the life of Henry, the Portuguese could not advance. In 1455 and 1456 the Venetian Alvise da Cadamosto, the most famous of Henry's skippers, sailed up the Gambia River in the Gambia, and the following year discovered the coast of the Cape Verde Islands. At this time, a massive trade in African slaves began, the center of which was located in Argen, not far from Cape Blanco. Henry encouraged the slave trade, and considered the act of baptizing slaves as a way to save their souls. The prince's expeditions began to generate income and, in the eyes of the Portuguese nobles and merchants, Henry turned into a national hero.
Henry's last years were spent in almost complete seclusion in Sagrisha, surrounded only by members of his "university", although in 1458 he accompanied a successful expedition to Tangier and further south to Arquila. He then returned to Saghris on the "Sacred Cape", where he died on November 13, 1460.
