Prince Henry I Am Writing

¶ … Prince Henry I am writing to propose an exploration. The trip would go south, down the coast of Africa. This trip does highlight some technological barriers, but there are potential economic and other benefits that may result. Also, I understand that the trip may be challenging for some of the norms of our current society, but I am willing to challenge those norms if you will support me in this endeavor.

With this mission, we can continue to encourage learning, exploration, and science, goals that I consider important just as you do (Russell, 2000). Current cartography has massive limitations due to the current cultural climate. Christianity has dominated explorations, with Christian geographers incorporating pagan mythology into maps (Boorstin, 1983). While these myths make for colorful maps, they do not accurately reflect our world. For example, Mappemonde from 1450 depicts certain locations without giving us a sense of the borders of Africa and true geography of the land (University of Minnesota Libraries, 2010).

Diligently working to create a new, accurate map will dispel these myths and challenge the current acceptance of Christian maps. The current maps cannot automatically be rejected and replaced. Instead, we will need to slowly replace portions of the map (Boorstin, 1983) until we have accurately drawn the boundaries of Africa and other continents. We can accomplish this goal by keeping a detailed, accurate log of our journeys and notes of the African coastline, which I know is important for your support of exploration (Boorstin, 1983).

Despite the current cultural climate and, more precisely, Christianity's influence on exploration and the creation of maps of the world, this journey down the coast of Africa can make an impact on the current way of thinking. Another current social norm could be challenged with this exploration. This norm is a perception about sea travel. Cape Bojador is greatly feared by seamen (Boorstin, 1983). I understand that other explorers have attempted to pass this protruding cape, but have returned unsuccessful (Boorstin, 1983).

Cape Bojador bulges from the coast of Africa and we have not dared to go beyond this landmark (Boorstin, 1983). However, I believe it is possible for the willing explorer to venture beyond Cape Bojador and this journey will break the current conception that it is too dangerous to pass. Politically speaking, there has been a change in the powers of the world. With the fall of the Roman Empire's capital Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, we are in need of a new trade route (Turchin, Adams, & Hall, 2006).

Also of political interest, the Ming Dynasty is pushing for greater exploration of the world (Menzies, 2008). We can challenge these political norms by establishing new trade options for Western Europe and surpassing the Ming Dynasty in exploration of the world. Getting past these political norms would simultaneously allow for technological and economic benefits for Portugal. There are certainly great technological barriers we face as explorers in this age.

However, part of our mission as explorers is to develop the technology that will allow us to journey further and further until we have reached the ends of the earth. We have some difficulty with navigation, but the mariner's compass, or the magnetic compass, may be able to help us. While many believe that this compass is haunted (Boorstin, 1983), you understand that we cannot be so quick to jump to judgments about a potentially valuable navigation tool and dismiss it before exploring its potential.

In order to test the magnetic compass, I would be willing to journey further along down the African coastline and then test the suitability of its navigational guidance in bringing me back to Sagres. Only after testing it on an exploration can we confirm its value or discard it as a useless item with occult power (Boorstin, 1983). Though we do not have many confirmed navigational tools at our disposal, this technological barrier can be overcome by using this mission to test the feasibility of the magnetic compass.

Longitude and latitude help us determine our position in the world, which is critical for navigation and for accurate map-drawing. We have had some difficulties with measuring these. The astrolabe is an expensive and complicated tool, though it would address this problem (Boorstin, 1983). However, the cross-staff is a cheaper means of also measuring latitude (Boorstin, 1983). This will be particularly important as we go further and further south, changing latitudes along the African coast.

The cross-staff will be used for many different latitudes to determine its viability and usefulness on a lengthy journey. Another technological barrier we face is the ability to return to Portugal. Our ships are well-built for sailing with the wind, but not as well-built for the return journey (Boorstin, 1983). Fortunately, a ship that has the potential for addressing this issue exists. The caravel you have designed based on the Arabian caravos are more maneuverable while being able to hold the crew and supplies (Boorstin, 1983).

This ship should be tested on longer journeys to understand its true capabilities. I am willing to test the caravel on my journey down the African coast. In doing so, I hope to overcome this technological barrier and bring myself and my crew back safely and providing a better means of exploration for future discoverers. If we are to continue discovering the world by sea, we need to discover means of making the journey less problematic for the explorers.

Otherwise, we will be unable to entice adequate numbers of capable seamen. Navigation on the seas and being able to sail against the wind are two technological barriers that explorers have faced. The magnetic compass, cross-staff, and the caravel are potential solutions to this problem. However, we cannot rely on these unfamiliar items without testing on longer journeys. The travel down the coast of Africa will be useful in demonstrating the success or failure of these items and may open up greater opportunities for future explorers you wish to commission.

This mission will serve several economic purposes. Some are evident from my previous discussions. For example, the testing of valuable navigational tools and a better ship will demonstrate their reliability and can be used for future profit. In particular, your caravel could be manufactured for widespread use by seamen. Additionally, the concern about trade routes (Turchin, Adams, & Hall, 2006) could be alleviated by this journey.

Constantinople provided a trading route from West to East and traveling along the African coastline may uncover another means of reaching Asia than through Constantinople (Sandrone & Wagner, 2009). During or after this journey, trade posts can be established along the route (Sandrone & Wagner, 2009) to increase opportunities for imports and exports, which could be of great economic benefit for Portugal. Another key trading route is into Africa. The Sahara Desert poses a massive difficulty in trading by land (Williams, 2005).

Discovering sea routes along the African coast will provide alternatives to the dangerous land-based trading routes. Increased trading with Africa opens up options for trading in lucrative goods, such as human merchandise, or slaves (Boorstin, 1983). This will provide personal benefits, demonstrating to critics that you can offer great economic benefits to the people of Europe. The increased exchanges will be lucrative for you, personally, for Portugal, and for Western Europe.

Discovery of the world may not be the quest of all, but you understand the necessity of these endeavors for the advancement of science, technology, and knowledge about our world. I propose this journey down the coast of Africa to further these pursuits. I believe that this mission will be beneficial for both of us and for Portugal. We can challenge the current norms in our society with this mission. First, the inaccurate.