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Henry the Navigator: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As Henrique, infante de Portugal, duque de Viseu, senhor da Covilhã • Henrique o Navegador
Born March 4, 1394 • Porto • Portugal
Died November 13, 1460 (aged 66) • Portugal • (Died on this day)

Photos and Videos

Medieval illuminated portrait of Henry the Navigator, Prince of Portugal, wearing a black hat and red robe, framed by an ornate floral border.
Map of the western coast of Africa and nearby Atlantic islands, highlighting areas reached by explorers sponsored by Henry the Navigator in the early to mid-1400s. Red text marks key exploration sites and dates, including Porto Santo, Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Bojador, Cape Verde, and several locations along the West African coast.
Study the history of the African slave trade and its economic effect on western Africa, where coastal states became rich and powerful while savanna states were destabilized as their people were taken captive
How Portugal rose and fell as a colonial power
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