Born March 4, 1394,
Pôrto, Portugal
Died November 13, 1460,
Cape St. Vincent, near Sagres, Portugal

Although he was called Henry the Navigator by the English, Prince Henry never actually sailed on any of the many voyages of discovery he sponsored to the Madeira Islands and the west coast of Africa. He used his wealth to establish a maritime school for the study of the arts of navigation, mapmaking, shipbuilding, and maritime commerce. His goals were to test and gain scientific knowledge, find a route to the rich spice trade of the Indies, and spread the Christian faith. Henry was the third son of King John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster, the daughter of John of Gaunt of England. Under the supervision of their parents, Henry and his brothers were taught soldiering, statecraft, and literature.

Recognized for valor

During the Crusades, much of Portugal...