1460day.year
Prince Henry the Navigator
(1394 - 1460)
Portuguese patron of exploration
Portuguese patron of exploration
Portuguese prince who pioneered the Age of Discoveries by sponsoring voyages along the African coast.
Born in 1394 as the third son of King John I of Portugal, Henry oversaw early Atlantic exploration.
He founded the navigation school at Sagres, bringing together cartographers, shipbuilders, and sailors.
Under his patronage, expeditions mapped the West African coast and established new trade routes.
His vision and support laid the groundwork for Portugal's global maritime empire.
Henry died in 1460, but his legacy endures as a key figure in European exploration history.
1460
Prince Henry the Navigator