15th century – 16th century
West African Atlantic coast from Arguin to Angola
Portuguese exploration opened the West African Atlantic coast to sustained European maritime trade during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. After rounding Cape Bojador in 1434 and reaching Arguin in 1443, Portuguese navigators established trading posts from Senegal to the Gold Coast and explored the Gulf of Guinea. Their commercial activity joined a maritime empire to Manden trading networks and linked coastal exchanges with inland gold, agricultural, and craft economies.
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The Story
Portuguese voyages transformed the commercial geography of West Africa. The development of the caravel enabled Portuguese navigators to round Cape Bojador in 1434, and they landed on Arguin in 1443. Trading posts were then established at various points from Senegal to the Gold Coast, while Portuguese voyages explored the Gulf of Guinea in search of gold and spices.
Portuguese maritime activity did not replace existing African networks. It joined an emergent European maritime empire to the Manden trading sphere, which had already connected the Central Sudan with the Atlantic coast. In Upper Guinea, Portuguese travelers used rivers to seek Sudanese gold and helped strengthen links between the Rivers Coast and the upper Gambia, upper Senegal, and upper Niger.
The goods carried by returning caravels included rice, copal, civet, palm mats and sacks, and carved ivory objects. Bullom artisans of Sherbro Island produced especially refined ivory spoons, pedestal bowls, and hunting horns. Throughout the sixteenth century, Portuguese maritime and commercial supremacy extended from Arguin to Angola, although French and English pirates and later Dutch competition challenged it. By the end of the century, Portuguese activity had established the strategy of Atlantic trade that shaped later centuries.
15th century – 16th century
West African Atlantic coast from Arguin to Angola
Portuguese exploration opened the West African Atlantic coast to sustained European maritime trade during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. After rounding Cape Bojador in 1434 and reaching Arguin in 1443, Portuguese navigators established trading posts from Senegal to the Gold Coast and explored the Gulf of Guinea. Their commercial activity joined a maritime empire to Manden trading networks and linked coastal exchanges with inland gold, agricultural, and craft economies.
Continue exploring
The Story
Portuguese voyages transformed the commercial geography of West Africa. The development of the caravel enabled Portuguese navigators to round Cape Bojador in 1434, and they landed on Arguin in 1443. Trading posts were then established at various points from Senegal to the Gold Coast, while Portuguese voyages explored the Gulf of Guinea in search of gold and spices.
Portuguese maritime activity did not replace existing African networks. It joined an emergent European maritime empire to the Manden trading sphere, which had already connected the Central Sudan with the Atlantic coast. In Upper Guinea, Portuguese travelers used rivers to seek Sudanese gold and helped strengthen links between the Rivers Coast and the upper Gambia, upper Senegal, and upper Niger.
The goods carried by returning caravels included rice, copal, civet, palm mats and sacks, and carved ivory objects. Bullom artisans of Sherbro Island produced especially refined ivory spoons, pedestal bowls, and hunting horns. Throughout the sixteenth century, Portuguese maritime and commercial supremacy extended from Arguin to Angola, although French and English pirates and later Dutch competition challenged it. By the end of the century, Portuguese activity had established the strategy of Atlantic trade that shaped later centuries.
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