Henry the Navigator, a 15th century Portuguese prince, helped usher the Age of Discovery and the Atlantic slave trade. Henry himself wasn't a sailor or navigator but he did sponsor many exploratory sea voyages. He was born in Porto, Portugal in 1394. Although he was neither a sailor nor a navigator, he sponsored a great deal of exploration along the west coast of Africa.Henry became fascinated with Africa, A continent which the Portuguese knew little about. He developed a desire to learn about The Muslims who lived there so he could conquer them and spread Christianity.
