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How did Prince Henry impact the slave trade?
Henry has the dubious distinction of being a founder of the Atlantic enslaved people trade. He sponsored Nuno Tristao’s exploration of the African coast, and Antao Goncalves’s hunting expedition there in 1441. The two men captured several Africans and brought them back to Portugal.
What were Prince Henry’s goals in Africa?
Prince Henry. Prince Henry the Navigator was the Prince of Portuagal who used his own money to pay for expeditions of discovery in the Atlantic Ocean and down the coast of Africa. His goals were to test and gain scientific knowledge, find a route to the rich spice trade of the Indies, and spread the Christian faith.
Why did Prince Henry of Portugal set sail?
Truth is, Prince Henry of Portugal never set sail on voyages of discovery. A nobleman of English, French, and Spanish ancestry, Prince Henry gained his reputation by sponsoring many voyages of discovery along the western coast of Africa. Prince Henry had several reasons for dispatching his expeditions.
When did the European slave trade with Africa start?
Portugal started the European slave trade with Africa. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal sent a trading expedition to Africa, to explore the little known continent, in 1441. By 1444, a ‘cargo’ of 235 enslaved Africans had been brought to Lagos in Portugal.
Prince Henry had several reasons for dispatching his expeditions. He hoped to find rumored Christian allies, add to geographic knowledge, and perhaps find a sea route to the Orient. But he also hoped to find gold. For centuries gold objects from sub-Saharan Africa had made their way to Europe.
What was slavery like in Africa in the 15th century?
African slavery was more akin to European serfdom –the condition of most Europeans in the 15th century. In the Ashanti Kingdom of West Africa, for example, slaves could marry, own property and even own slaves. And slavery ended after a certain number of years of servitude.