At Sea
Why did the fifteenth century Portuguese Prince Henry – known to the English as "the Navigator" – launch his ships onto the trade-wind routes of the world? He wanted to explore south along Atlantic coast of North Africa for reasons that were more mediaeval than modern: to outflank the Moors by gaining control of their coastline. To see how far south Moorish power extended. To locate the powerful Christian monarch Prester John who was believed to live to the far south and ally with him against the Muslims. Harassing the Infidel was Henry's duty as Grand Master of the Order of Christ. There was as yet no tradition of scientific exploration. Men sailed for trade not in any general spirit of enquiry. Yet Henry, with one foot firmly planted in the middle ages would nevertheless not accept legend or superstition in respect of his expeditions of exploration. In this respect he was the first Renaissance man.
The Portuguese discovered Porto Santo, east of Madeira, in 1418. The Genoese had seen the islands in the previous century but they meant no more to them than a navigational hazard 500 miles south-west of Cape St Vincent. Two ships commanded by João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira sighted the island returning the following year for a voyage of settlement. The voyage of settlement had a third vessel, captained by Bartolemew Perestrello who became Governor of Porto Santo and whose daughter was to marry Columbus. Columbus thus had access to the sophisticated techniques of Portuguese navigation: the Portuguese always insist that he would not have discovered the New World for Spain without it.
There was a story in circulation that beyond Porto Santo a wooded island had once been seen by an Englishman, Machin, who had sailed out of Bristol and been blown west of the bay of Biscay in a storm. Henry's second expedition to Porto Santo had seen cloud on the horizon. In 1420, Zarco sailed west and sighted Madeira, the wooded island in Portuguese. The island was uninhabited, but had virgin pine forest much needed for shipbuilding. Before long, the hardy malavasia grape had been introduced, from which the English word malmsey is derived. Sugar cane was introduced from Sicily and fennel (funcho), growing in profusion, gave its name to today's island capital, our destination for this day at sea. In the course of the day the naturalist staff have prepared us for the visit with presentations on the island's geology, ornithology and culture.
Why did the fifteenth century Portuguese Prince Henry – known to the English as "the Navigator" – launch his ships onto the trade-wind routes of the world? He wanted to explore south along Atlantic coast of North Africa for reasons that were more mediaeval than modern: to outflank the Moors by gaining control of their coastline. To see how far south Moorish power extended. To locate the powerful Christian monarch Prester John who was believed to live to the far south and ally with him against the Muslims. Harassing the Infidel was Henry's duty as Grand Master of the Order of Christ. There was as yet no tradition of scientific exploration. Men sailed for trade not in any general spirit of enquiry. Yet Henry, with one foot firmly planted in the middle ages would nevertheless not accept legend or superstition in respect of his expeditions of exploration. In this respect he was the first Renaissance man.
The Portuguese discovered Porto Santo, east of Madeira, in 1418. The Genoese had seen the islands in the previous century but they meant no more to them than a navigational hazard 500 miles south-west of Cape St Vincent. Two ships commanded by João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira sighted the island returning the following year for a voyage of settlement. The voyage of settlement had a third vessel, captained by Bartolemew Perestrello who became Governor of Porto Santo and whose daughter was to marry Columbus. Columbus thus had access to the sophisticated techniques of Portuguese navigation: the Portuguese always insist that he would not have discovered the New World for Spain without it.
There was a story in circulation that beyond Porto Santo a wooded island had once been seen by an Englishman, Machin, who had sailed out of Bristol and been blown west of the bay of Biscay in a storm. Henry's second expedition to Porto Santo had seen cloud on the horizon. In 1420, Zarco sailed west and sighted Madeira, the wooded island in Portuguese. The island was uninhabited, but had virgin pine forest much needed for shipbuilding. Before long, the hardy malavasia grape had been introduced, from which the English word malmsey is derived. Sugar cane was introduced from Sicily and fennel (funcho), growing in profusion, gave its name to today's island capital, our destination for this day at sea. In the course of the day the naturalist staff have prepared us for the visit with presentations on the island's geology, ornithology and culture.
