Henry the Navigator Biography

Considered one of the principal initiators of ‘The Age of Discovery’, a period in history that would lead to the founding of multiple new continents, Henry the Navigator of Portugal was responsible for commissioning dozens of exploration voyages in his quest to find a land of his own to rule. Born into a royal family, but not in line for the throne, his ambitions to become a king in his own right led him to send voyagers in search of the source of North African gold and new lands to conquer. While his given name was Infante Dom Henrique de Avis, he is more commonly known under the nickname given to him by biographers hundreds of years after his death. The Portuguese rarely refer to him by the moniker, because although he did fund many voyages, "Henry the Navigator" did not personally do much exploration. His exploration laid the foundation of black slavery, when his voyages returned with slaves from Africa, a practice which would spread world-wide. He is also credited by historians for founding the first navigation school. His efforts received much criticism as they were deemed a fruitless expense but when his boats returned with gold dust all his critics were mummed. The Duke in his aspiration helped make a significant contribution to the discovery of new lands