As most of the population of Earth has realized from observing astronauts and multiple probes sent to the far reaches of our universe, the safest, easiest, and most comfortable way to explore the unknown is to live vicariously through someone else’s adventures and explorations. Adopting that strategy earned Prince Henry "The Navigator" of Portugal not only fame but a long life as well; during the expansionary ages of Europe in the 15th century. Henry rarely left the comfort of the Iberian Peninsula, but rather had others take his stead in the face of danger and for the name of Portugal. One such adventurer and writer was Gomes Eannes de Azurara, who during the voyages of 1452-1453 chronicled the discovery and conquest of Guinea by request of King Alfonso V. Gomes Azurara was a close friend of Prince Henry, which was evident through the conscious emotions expressed through rationalizations of why he has agreed to put himself in harm’s way. It became evident, Gomes Azurara was not on an exploratory mission to carve trade routes or bring back gold and riches from the far reaches of western Africa, Gomes Azurara was on a religious pilgrimage

revert back to Christianity as a base from which to gain prospective and strength, “Therefore he sought to know if there were in those parts any Christian princes, in whom the charity and the love of Christ was so ingrained that they would aid him against those enemies of the faith” (Azurara 1452-3, 5).

staying close to the Iberian peninsula where he is protected and revered as a great navigator of the oceans he has not traveled. “And because the said Lord Infant wished to know the truth of this and seeing also that no other prince took any pains in this matter, he sent out his own ships against those parts to manifest certainty of them all” (Azurara, 1452-3, 5).

In conclusion, “the fifth reason was his great desire to make increase in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bring to him all the souls that should be saved” (Azurara 1452-3, 5). With the last rationalization Azurara was convinced that the Portuguese and Prince Henry were in Africa to save souls and that ultimately they were not the ones that would benefit the most from this journey. Azurara took solace in the fact that these slaves benefited not only spiritually but also materially from contact with Western civilization; “for if God promised to return one hundred goods for one, we may justly believe that for such great benefits, that is to say for so many souls as were saved by the efforts of this Lord, he will have so many hundreds of guerdons in the kingdom of God

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