“Patronage was the main reason for Portuguese exploration of the west coast of Africa.” Discuss

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that patronage was the main reason for Portugal’s exploration of the west coast of Africa. They may agree or disagree with the statement. In their responses, candidates may argue that without the ambition, and subsequent, patronage of Prince Henry the Navigator, Portuguese exploration of the west coast of Africa would not have taken place. However, candidates may argue that the rationale behind this patronage was Henry’s desire to forge trade links with Africa and thus suggest that economic motives were more important. Other factors that may be addressed include a desire to convert Africans to Christianity, the developments in ship building, cartography and navigation that facilitated such exploration as well as the power of trade and mercantilism that, given the geographic proximity of Portugal to the west coast of Africa, made exploration more likely.