Portuguese Discoveries

In the 15^th century, a young Portuguese prince, known as Henri the Navigator, although he hardly sailed a at all, launched several discovery expeditions. This was the start of a great adventure which enabled the Portuguese to capture the spice trade, one of the most sought-after commodities at the time. Rivalry with Spain led to various treaties, including that of Tordesillas in 1494, which divided the newly discovered lands between these two countries. Form Brazil to Indonesia, the Portuguese was, for a time, the largest of colonial empires.