Henry
the Navigator 
(1394 - 1460)
Henry was one of the sons of King John I of Portugal. Particular and controversial personality: from his residence of Tercena Naval (the existing Sagres in Algarve) he directed the great explorations of portuguese navigators that brought to the colonization of Africa and to trace the spice route towards the East. His direct participation to the shippings has been a much discussed question but his admirers have always pointed out his remarkable political, financial and organizational function also attested by the conflict with the Arabs for the possession of Ceuta and Tangeri, despite the results not favourable for him.
Latitude: The Art and Science of
Fifteenth-Century Navigation
Henry the Navigator Sagres - History
Voyage of Exploration: Discovering New
Horizons
I encountered Henry for the first time in the books of history but, when in 1999 I went to Portugal, I was not prepared for a second meeting so emblematic. Once arrived in Lisboa I immediately began to breathe the atmosphere of this country, so projected to the sea and to the horizon. However, the most intense experience was the visit to the harbour, to the estuary of the Tajo and, finally, to the monument dedicated to Henry, to the navigators and to the discoveries. The photograph reproduced below can give you an idea of the effect created by this enormous structure of white stone with the river flowing into the sea in the background and made brilliant by the sun still alive of October.
Lisboa: the monument to the
discoveries Cabo de Roca: the extreme end of the
Europe on the Ocean
My
page about Portugal: Portugal - Azulejos and
architectures
