Portugal was a key country in the Age of Exploration. The Age of Exploration followed the Age of Enlightenment and the Renaissance. The main interest of the European countries in discovering the new World was to become more powerful. At the time of the Age of Exploration silk was one of the most treasured commodities in the world. Silk was only produced in the far east in places like China. The only way that Europe could trade in silk was using the great silk road. this was a long and arduous journey. It was also very dangerous for European Christians to travel and trade along the road as Turkish Muslims were always attacking them. This is why the Portuguese led by King Henry the Navigator were desperate to find a new trade route to the East by sea. Vasco Da Gama was the first to discover India and the Eastern World. He did this by sailing around the Cape of Storms/ Cape of Good Hope under Africa. He travelled to Mozambique and then on to Calicut in India. He was rewarded the title of Lord for his exploration and the ownership of his home town of Sines. This was a great discovery for Da Gama, Portugal and the World.
