Age Of Discovery: Spanish & Portuguese Exploration.

[Music] this is a story of Adventure of men who sailed across unknown Seas to find unknown lands the story begin even today we can find Sailors telling of places as they have done for hundreds of years our story of exploration begins more than 500 years ago in 1400 the world that the Europeans knew was something like this all the dark areas were unknown among the very first to explore the unknown Seas were the men of Spain and Portugal in Portugal the city of Lisbon was an important sea port today Lisbon is still Portugal's main Outlet on the Atlantic Ocean in the early days of exploration when the Portuguese put to Sea in small sailing vessels they often passed this Tower of Lisbon Harbor a landmark for ships in the history of the early Portuguese explorers one of the great Heroes of the age was Prince Henry the Navigator he devoted all his life to inspiring organizing and directing voyages to explore the coast of Africa and to find a water route to India many of Prince Henry's Fleet sailed from the Portuguese town of Lagos nearby at Cape St Vincent Prince Henry established his headquarters in the distance is Cape St Vincent on this great Promontory Prince Henry built an observatory and a school for the scientists and Scholars he employed today there's not much left of what we might call Prince Henry's Naval Research Center but the work done here affected the whole age of discovery Prince Henry improved the design of ships and built many vessels here in Lagos the small Swift Portuguese ships not much larger than this craft were considered the best vessels of their time they were called caravels Prince Henry supplied his Sailors with many ships of this type he employed the best mapmakers of his time he improved navigation instruments such as the astrolab and the Marin Compass no wonder the Portuguese Sailors could say we went out well taught and provided with instruments and rules first the islands of madira and the azors were discovered then year after year Prince Henry's ships pushed Southward along the coast of Africa finally in 1488 Bartholomew Diaz rounded the tip of Africa and called it the Cape of Good Hope which meant the hope of reaching India meanwhile another country was hoping to find a water route to India that country was Spain Portugal's neighbor what was Spain like in the 15th century many Spanish cities had defense works such as this fortified bridge and this Castle these were the days of frequent fighting between the Moors and the Spanish princes what kind of men were these Spaniards who lived during the Age of Exploration some of them were educated Aristocrats many were soldiers fighting men used to danger and excitement many were friars and Priests of the Catholic Church eager to spread the gospel to new lands and some were men seeking personal glory and Adventure one of the greatest Adventures and all history began in Spain in 1491 in that year a man named Christopher Columbus was staying here in the convent of larabida in southern Spain he rested in the convent while waiting for an interview with the king and queen of Spain Columbus stayed in this very room here his friend the head of the convent advised him not to give up hope of seeing the Spanish rulers for 20 years Christopher Columbus had dreamed dreamed of his great Enterprise it was a daring scheme for sailing to the Indies finally Columbus journeyed to Granada to present his idea to the king and queen at the Royal Court Columbus presented his plan to the two sovereigns of Spain King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella what was this great Enterprise which the Navigator proposed to these monarchs Columbus explained his plan he could reach India he said not by going around Africa as the Portuguese were trying to do by sailing straight Westward across the unknown ocean but Columbus failed to convince the Spanish monarchs weary and discouraged he left the Royal Court however when he reached this bridge a messenger from Queen Isabella overtook him Columbus was told he could would have ships and men and ever since this bridge near Granada has been called The Bridge of Good Tidings this contract drawn up by the Spanish rulers gave Columbus three ships and the title admiral of the ocean sea at the Port of Palos in Spain three ships were made ready for Columbus Santa Maria n and Pinta on August 3rd 1492 the ships left pao's Harbor and stood out to the Open Sea from Palos Columbus sailed Westward overseas that no man had ever seen day after day the great Admiral guided his ships Westward ever Westward he sailed hoping to reach India or the island of Japan but Columbus didn't know that a whole continent lay between Europe and Asia when he cited land on October 12th 1492 Columbus thought he had reached the Indies he never knew that his three ships had arrived at a new continent meanwhile the men of Portugal were not idle from this Seaport town of CIS in Portugal came a sailor who made another glorious voyage of Discovery his name was Vasco dama he fulfilled Prince Henry's dream of reaching India by way of Africa dama sailed from Lisbon in 1497 following the route that Diaz had explored tagama continued around the Cape of Good Hope and on to India and so Prince Henry's Dream came true meanwhile Spain was developing the lands Columbus had found the city of Seville was the headquarters for overseas business in the Old Port of Seville we can still see the building called The Exchange in which some of Spain's overseas business was handled here in this so-called Tower of gold in Seville were kept the precious metals and jewels that came from the new world from the port of Seville Ferdinand mellan sailed on a voyage that answered the final question of exploration leaving Seville mellan sailed Southwest along the coast of South America rounded the southern tip and continued Westward finally he reached the Philippines here mellan was killed but one of his ships continued on melan's men reached the Cape of Good Hope and Then followed the familiar route back to Seville a complete trip around the world now in the last chapter of exploration came more men from Spain and Portugal men like Francisco pizaro conqueror of Peru and erando Cortez conqueror of Mexico these daring Soldier explorers were called conquistadores the conquerors who explored the new lands founded settlements and set up governments the accomplishments of the conquistadores were many Balboa explored Central America and discovered the Pacific Pon Deon explored Florida Cortez conquered Mexico in North America Coronado explored the Southwest DeSoto exploring the South East discovered the Mississippi in South America fizo conquered Peru vusa and others explored Brazil and even the distant islands of the Philippines were conquered these regions were part of the new lands the daring Sailors had found across the seas but the achievements of the Spanish and Portuguese explorers resulted in more than glory and riches their voyages helped to push back the unknown Frontiers to give us the world as we know it today [Music]