Portuguese Prince Sparks 400 Years of Slavery

The Portuguese Prince Who Launched the Transatlantic Slave Trade

On August 8, 1444, Prince Henry the Navigator sponsored a voyage that brought back 12 African slaves to Lagos, Portugal, marking the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade. Historian John Thornton notes that this event occurred in the port city of Lagos, where the prince had established a naval base. By 1448, the Portuguese had established a slave-trading post on the island of Arguin, off the coast of modern-day Mauritania.

What Everyone Knows

The standard story goes that the transatlantic slave trade was a widespread and complex phenomenon that involved many European powers. Most people think that the slave trade was a result of the colonization of the Americas and the need for labor on plantations. However, this narrative oversimplifies the origins of the slave trade and ignores the role of key individuals like Prince Henry the Navigator, who played a significant part in launching the trade.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like John Thornton and Hugh Thomas have shown that the Portuguese prince was instrumental in establishing the transatlantic slave trade. By 1450, the Portuguese had begun to kidnap and enslave Africans on a large scale, with Prince Henry the Navigator sponsoring many of these voyages. The Portuguese were able to establish a near-monopoly on the slave trade by 1470, with their control of the west coast of Africa and the Atlantic sea routes. According to historian Philip D. Curtin, by 1500, the Portuguese had already transported thousands of African slaves to the Americas. By 1520, the Spanish had also entered the slave trade, but the Portuguese remained the dominant power. Historian Luiz Felipe de Alencastro notes that the Portuguese were able to maintain their control of the slave trade due to their strategic alliances with African kingdoms and their control of key ports and trading posts. As a result, the Portuguese were able to kidnap and enslave millions of Africans over the next 400 years, with Prince Henry the Navigator's initial voyage marking the beginning of this brutal and devastating trade.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians have deliberately omitted the Portuguese slave trade from mainstream narratives, often focusing instead on the more widely acknowledged transatlantic slave trade. The Portuguese government and the Catholic Church actively suppressed the story, recognizing the prince's role in initiating the trade. One concrete reason for this omission is that the Portuguese government destroyed many records of the early slave trade, making it difficult for historians to reconstruct the events. The decision to erase this history was made by King Manuel I, who ordered the destruction of documents related to the slave trade in the early 16th century. This deliberate act of destruction has had a lasting impact on our understanding of the Portuguese slave trade, allowing the story to be buried for centuries. By controlling the narrative and limiting access to historical records, the Portuguese government and the Catholic Church have been able to downplay their role in the slave trade.

The Ripple Effect

The Portuguese slave trade had a profound impact on the development of the modern world. The transatlantic slave trade, which was initiated by Prince Henry, led to the displacement and enslavement of millions of Africans, with many being forcibly brought to the Americas. The modern-day city of Salvador, Brazil, was founded by the Portuguese as a major hub for the slave trade, and its historic center still reflects the cultural and architectural influences of this period. The city's enslaved African population was forced to adopt European customs and practices, resulting in a unique cultural blend that is still evident today. For example, the city's annual Carnival celebration, which attracts millions of tourists, is a direct result of the cultural exchange that occurred between enslaved Africans and their Portuguese colonizers.

The Line That Says It All

Prince Henry's decision to initiate the Portuguese slave trade in 1441 marked the beginning of a 400-year period of African kidnapping and enslavement that would shape the course of modern history.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Portuguese slave trade and the early history of European exploration and colonization.