Henry+the+Navigator

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=Henry the Navigator=

toc Henry the Navigator was an explorer in the 1400s. He was born in 1394 in Portugal. He was famous for organizing and financing different voyages. By doing this he founded the sea routes to the Indies. He also helped people by building a research center for scholars to learn geography and navigation.

Early Life
Prince Henry the Navigator was born in Oporto,Portugal, on March 4, 1394. He was born into a royal family. He was pernounced Prince Henry, Duke of Viseu. His father and mother were both royality. His father Joao the first. Known as, King of Portugal. His mother who was Philippa of Lancaster. When Henry became 20 he incouraged his father to start an expidetion against the Muslim Port of Ceuta. He also wanted to extend the holy faith of Jesus. Henry's first discovery was the founding of Porto Santo. Two of his young men were able to locate the position of where it was located. When Henry was younger he also discovered Madeira. Henry's main expedition he wanted to go on was to Cape Bojador, but it was very hard to get there. It took him fifteen tries to get there. When he got there he found footprints of people and animals but no one there.

Discoveries
__**Ceuta**__ Prince Henry of Portugal is famous for discovering and exploring many different things. In the year 1415 Prince Henry was in charge of a military force which captured Muslim outposts of Ceuta. The city was located in a very easy place for Henry to attack. At last his father, his brothers, and him were ready to fire. The ships were also ready to attack. In 1415 the city of Ceuta was not ready for the attack and fell into despair. Prince Henry was enlightend by this and it made him even more intrested in warfare.

__**The Institution**__ A few years later he founded an Institute which is known as a research and development center. He founded it in Sagres, Portugal. This Institute had, libraries, ship building facilities, a biology room, an observatory, and a chapel. Henry's Institute was developed for Portuguese sailers to come and learn techniques and skills on navigation. Henry brought together some of the most famous, in Europe, geographers, cartographers, astronomers, and mathematicians to work at the Institute. The Institute's main goal was to explore the western coast of Africa, though they did not get to.

__**Why Henry Wanted Explore Africa**__ Though Henry hardely ever left Europe he made it possible for the first Europeans to explore Africa. He would also pay for all the expiditions to Africa with the Portugese treasury. Back then the Europeans thought that the ocean was very mysterous and that Africa was an endless sand dessert. First Henry wanted to find a water route to India, but it was too dangerous and too far. The only way to get to India, for the Europeans, was to circumnavigate or go around Africa. So He set up a school where sailors could learn how to cross the "dangerous sea of Africa". Henry knew that Africa wasn't flat. All he needed was some sailors to circumnavigate Africa so he could finally find the water route to India.

The Final Stage of Henry the Navigator
Henry the Navigator died in November 13,1460 in Sagres, Portugal.He was about 66 when he died, which was a pretty old age back then. Some people say that Henry died from a lot of stress, and was in extreme debt. He was devoted to his work, though some of the trips could have been organized better. He was burried in the church of St. Mary in Lagos. A few years later he was moved to a grave where his nephew had put a statue to represent his great works. To this day we still remember him for all the great trips he financed, and all the discoveries his sailors made.



=Refrences=

Garraty John A. __The Story of America.__ Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston,1994.

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