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What goals motivated Prince Henry the Navigator to support Portuguese voyages?

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Map showing the transatlantic and global routes of major early voyages of discovery and exploration by Spain, Portugal, England, and France during the 15th and 16th centuries. The map traces the journeys of explorers such as Columbus, Cabot, Magellan, da Gama, and others, with labeled paths crossing the Atlantic and encircling Africa and South America, as well as lines of demarcation dividing Spanish and Portuguese exploration zones. — European exploration Map depicting the European exploration of the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries, including the voyages made by Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián del Cano, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Jacques Cartier, Sir Francis Drake, and others. The lines of demarcation represent an early division between the territory of Spain (to the west) and Portugal (to the east).

Prince Henry the Navigator’s support for Portuguese voyages was driven by a complex mix of personal, religious, economic, and scientific motivations. His primary goals included:12

Commercial Interests: Henry sought to establish profitable trade routes, specifically aiming to divert the gold and ivory trade from trans-Saharan routes to a sea route controlled by Portugal. He also pursued opportunities for trade in enslaved persons and the establishment of colonies on islands like Madeira.13
Religious and Military Objectives: As a Crusader and master of the Order of Christ, Henry hoped to combat Muslim power in North Africa by attacking it from the rear via the African coast. He also expressed a desire to spread the Christian faith, though this was often not supported by significant action.124
Scientific and Exploratory Curiosity: Henry was interested in testing new navigational aids and ship designs, such as the caravel. He was also driven by a broader curiosity about the world and the search for a sea route to the rich spice trade of the Indies.12

While often remembered as a champion of science, there is little evidence to support his traditional reputation as a scientific pioneer. His sponsorship of the slave trade, however, marked the beginning of an enterprise that would later evolve into the transatlantic slave trade.4