Under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator, Portugal took the principal role during most of the fifteenth century in searching for a route to Asia by sailing south around Africa. In the process, the Portuguese accumulated a wealth of knowledge about navigation and the geography of the Atlantic Ocean.With its strong government support, Portugal was able to lead in overseas explorations. ... Henry was aware that there was great wealth beyond Europe due to an early exploration he was on. Portuguese invaders found spices and large supplies of jewels, gold, and silver in the city of Ceuta in North Africa.
