Time flies. As of now it is the year 1460, and i have been living on this land for 66 years. My life has been long and eventful. Tis the month of November and i feel my last breath is imminent.....
Sunday, November 7, 2010
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By:
Kurt Huber
Monument: Padrão dos Descobrimentos
I am located at the head of this great Portuguese monument, looking out over the Tagus River. Behind me are the many explorers, cartographers, and many other important people of my era.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Overview of My Life
--Another look over my life and my achievements--
Courtesy of youtube and uploader GSteincampJ
Miscellaneous Links
Here is a wonderful, informational timeline of my time and other important historical events
If you are fascinated with my tale and would like to learn more, it would do you well to visit some of these sites:
Tangier, 1437
I am one of the primary organizers of the Portuguese expedition to the city of Tangier. The expedition was launched out of a need to capture the city, for our possession of Ceuta is in reality draining our treasury. After our conquest of Ceuta, overland trade moved to Tangier, isolating and depriving the community of Ceuta. However, we believe that in capturing Tangier, these effects may be reversed. My younger brother, the Infante Fernando, has no military experience and so I thought this may be the best chance for him to gain glory. Thus, after some persuasion, I was able to convince him to participate in this conquest.
Unfortunately, the expedition is a completely disastrous failure, for my younger brother Fernando is taken hostage along with many other brave soldiers of our army. Our attack on the city was poorly planned and executed. Also, this time we did not have the upper hand with a surprise attack. When we arrived, the city was already prepared to defend itself. This was a losing battle for our side and now those Marinid people demand us to surrender Ceuta to them. They are keeping my brother in their possession to make certain we give up Ceuta. Oh what a hateful day! I cannot give up my own dear brother, yet even more I cannot give up Ceuta for the good of Portugal. Even the Archbishop of Braga and the Count of Arraiolos refuse to give in to their demands. I am now forced to leave my brother in the hands of these people, though I would a hundred times rather not. Oh dreadful, ill-fortuned day that has left me devastated!
Sources:
http://catterall.net/cotrim/soares/Henry_Nav-2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando,_the_Saint_Princehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Henry_the_Navigator
My Navigational School, 1419
In order for my goals to be fulfilled, I needed a means to do such a thing. Thus, now the year 1419, I have started a school for navigators. It is located on the southwestern coast of Portugal known as Sagres. This is the first school for oceanic navigation, and I am excited to see how well the school will run. I designed this school to teach navigational techniques to Portuguese sailors, to aid voyages through the invention and improvement of navigational equipments, and to sponsor expeditions. Not only those, the purpose of this place is also to collect and spread geographical information and discoveries. Books and charts are collected in a library and reports will be obtained from travelers and even from my own sailors coming back from their expeditions. Students at my school will learn about map-making, ship-building, and navigation. I have also searched and gathered some of the leading cartographers, geographers, mathematicians, and astronomers from throughout Europe and brought them here.
At my school I have developed a new type of ship called the caravel. The reason for such a creation? Because the ships in use right now are terrible for navigating! They are much too slow and too heavy. The new ships I have recently sponsored are lighter and more maneuverable; I hope these ships will allow my sea captains to travel further and faster. I am about to dispatch some of these ships to the coast of Africa and I cannot wait for the results they will bring back!
--My School For Navigators--
At my school I have developed a new type of ship called the caravel. The reason for such a creation? Because the ships in use right now are terrible for navigating! They are much too slow and too heavy. The new ships I have recently sponsored are lighter and more maneuverable; I hope these ships will allow my sea captains to travel further and faster. I am about to dispatch some of these ships to the coast of Africa and I cannot wait for the results they will bring back!
Sources:
http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/princehenry.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/h/henry.shtmlhttp://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b2prnhenlu.htm
Pictures:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/History/HistImages/F_002_HenryNavigator.jpg
http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/caravel.html
Pictures:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/History/HistImages/F_002_HenryNavigator.jpg
Battle of Ceuta, 1415
Growing up, the Muslims had their nasty hands on the trade and sea routes. Oh how they make me quiver with rage! I was determined to drive them out of our lands! I am now twenty one years old and my chance has come! My father led me and some of my brothers in an attack against the Muslim stronghold located in Ceuta. Ceuta is the Muslim port on the North African coast. Major reasons for our attack are to pursue our dream of a unified Christendom and to rid of this long-time base for barbaric pirates who raided the Portuguese coast. Also, this was my chance to prove myself as an honorable and tactful leader and soldier. I was so nervous, for this was my first major military conquest!
On the morning of August 14, 1415, we commenced our attack. We had forty-five thousand soldiers travel in two hundred Portuguese ships and the huge numbers contributed to my excitement. Sadly, the battle was not as glorious as I had imagined it would be, for we caught the defenders of Ceuta off-guard. However, we still fought valiantly and by nightfall, the city was ours! We, the Portuguese, now had control over one of the major northern trade centers of the Islamic world. The importance of this battle does not end there, however, because its other significance is: it sparked my interest in exploring the curious land of Africa. Now I have dreams of sponsoring expeditions to Africa and perhaps to even set up a navigational school.
--Battle of Ceuta--
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ceuta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Henry_the_Navigator
Picture:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Infante_D._Henrique_na_conquista_de_Ceuta.png
Azulejo by Jorge Colaco
In this azulejo (a glazed tile) Jorge Colaco depicted me standing on a peninsula called the Sagres Point. Here, I am facing the great, untamable sea.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
On Exploring Cape Bojador, 1434
No one has ever sailed past the treacherous Cape Bojador, located on the northern coast of Africa. Many sailors (including my own!) fear sailing towards that dreaded place full of reefs, currents, high winds, and ghastly sea monsters! Oh the stories that surround it! The uncharted waters beyond Cape Bojador are known as the "Green Sea of Darkness". Here resides deadly sea serpents who attack sailors, a sun that is too close to the Earth and that burns human flesh to a dark black color, boiling waters, and ships were even reported to have caught on fire! However these stories do nothing to deter my determination to explore Africa. Over the course of twelve years, I have sent a total of fifteen expeditions there but alas! They have all failed me. Oh the ridicule and the shame! My pride lowered as each time the expeditions came back empty handed and the captains apologized to me. Yet I refused to give up in my attempts! I finally persuaded Captain Gil Eannes to lead one of my expeditions, although he had failed on a previous voyage. However, I still saw much potential in him and my insight was correct. In the year 1434 Eannes sailed past the dreadful Cape and came back! It was a glorious and triumphant moment! My years of high expectations only to be disappointed were now worth the trouble. I now had the honor of being the sponsor of the first sailor to round Cape Bojador despite the dangerous obstacles and fearsome tales!
--A Map of My Time--
Courtesy of Son of the South
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Bojador
http://www.porcelainsandpeacocks.com/2010/04/conquering-green-sea-of-darkness-henry.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Eanes
Coat of Arms
This coat of arms belongs to me, Infante Henry the Navigator as well as the 1st Duke of Viseu.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
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By:
Kurt Huber
Documentary of Myself
-Some of the accomplishments i made during my lifetime-
Video Courtesy of youtube & uploader: phoenixfilmandvideo
Let Me Introduce Myself......
Good day my fellow viewers. My name is Prince Henry and I am an Infante of the Portuguese Kingdom. My father is King John I of Portugal, the great founder of the Aviz dynasty, and my mother is Queen Philippa of Lancaster. I was born in the city of Porto as the third in line to the throne on the 4th of March in 1394. I have eight well known brothers and sisters and together, my surviving siblings make up the "Illustrious Generation", a generation of well-known princes and princesses of Portugal.
Now let me tell you about my fascination with exploring across the vast lands and dangerous seas. The truth is, although they call me Prince Henry the Navigator, I have never set sail with any of the voyages I had helped to sponsor. Then why was I such an avid supporter of exploration? Why was it that, although I wasn’t present at the expeditions physically, my soul and spirit was with my explorers in the form of sponsorships? Here is my story: I was only third in line to the throne, thus I knew there was little chance of my being king. Therefore I was able to focus on many goals throughout the course of my life. My greatest interest was captured by the western coast of Africa. There were many reasons why the land of Africa appealed to me so much, with the main reasons being:
1. I wanted to acquire greater trade opportunities for Portugal, such as establishing advantageous trade relations. I also wished to set up trade routes, create maps of the West African coast to aid future expeditions, and to search for gold along the African coast.
2. I had heard of a Christian kingdom of Prester John and hoped to become allies with such a kingdom. With combined forces, we could defeat the Muslims.
3. I intended to spread Christianity to other parts of the world.
My love of exploring and fulfilling my goals was much greater than my love for any mortal. Thus, I never exchanged marriage vows.
I have sent many ships down to Africa in efforts to fulfill my goals, though a great number of these efforts have failed due to the dangers of the sea and dreadful weather conditions. However, my most successful story lies in Gil Eannes's rounding of Cape Bojador and returning safely, bringing back plants as proof of his accomplishment. There has also been many other successful stories. A few glorious moments were: In 1441, I sent Nuno Tristão and Antão Goncalves to Cape Blanco. Antonio de Noli and Alvise da Cadamosto discovered the Cape Verde islands for me. Cadamosto also explored the Gambia River and reported back to me that the people there were hostile and Cadamosto could not trade with them. In 1458, I sent Diogo Gomes on an expedition that reached as far as Cape Palmas. As you can see, I helped Portugal take the lead during the European age of expansion and discovery by helping sponsor some of the greatest explorers of my era.
--Portrait of Myself--
Sources:
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/prince_henry_the_navigator.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_the_Navigator
http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/princehenry.htm
http://www.thornr.demon.co.uk/kchrist/phenry.htmlhttp://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1118.html
http://www.suite101.com/content/prince-henry-the-navigator-a79628Picture:
Nyssabunyan---http://year8exploration.wikispaces.com/file/view/Henry_the_navigator_portrait.jpg/143348135/Henry_the_navigator_portrait.jpg
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