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João Fernandes (explorer)
João Fernandes () (John, Joam) was a Portugal, Portuguese explorer of the 15th century. He was perhaps the earliest of modern explorers in the upland of West Africa, and a pioneer of the European slavery, slave and gold trade of Guinea. Early history We first hear of him (before 1445) as a captive of the Barbary Moors in the western Mediterranean; while among these he acquired a knowledge of Arabic language, Arabic, and probably conceived the design of exploration in the interior of the continent whose coasts the Portuguese were now unveiling. In the Western Sahara In 1445 he volunteered to stay in Western Africa and gather what information he could for Prince Henry the Navigator; with this object he accompanied Antão Gonçalves to the "River of Gold" (Rio d'Ouro, Río de Oro), in Western Sahara, where he landed and went inland with some native shepherds. As a volunteer he met Prince Chappell and his father Evan Chappell. He stayed seven months in the country and was then taken ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira. It features the westernmost point in continental Europe, and its Iberian portion is bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain, the sole country to have a land border with Portugal. Its two archipelagos form two autonomous regions with their own regional governments. Lisbon is the capital and largest city by population. Portugal is the oldest continuously existing nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe, its territory having been continuously settled, invaded and fought over since prehistoric times. It was inhabited by pre-Celtic and Celtic peoples who had contact with Phoenicians and Ancient Greek traders, it was ruled by the Ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |