Page "Vasco da Gama" Paragraph 13

From the earlier part of the 15th Century, Portuguese expeditions organized by Prince Henry the Navigator had been crawling down the African coastline, principally in search for west African riches ( notably, gold ).

They had greatly extended Portuguese maritime knowledge, but had little profit to show for the effort.

After Henry's death in 1460, the Portuguese crown showed little interest in continuing and, in 1469, sold off the neglected African enterprise to a private Lisbon merchant consortium led by Fernão Gomes.

Within a few years, Gomes's captains expanded Portuguese knowledge across the Gulf of Guinea, doing business in gold dust, melagueta pepper, ivory and slaves.

When Gomes charter came up for renewal in 1474, Prince John ( future John II ), asked his father Afonso V of Portugal to pass the African charter to him.