d. c. 1447

Portuguese Sailing Captain and Explorer

Nuño Tristão is known for his travels to Cape Blanco, Sénégal, and Gambia in Africa from 1441-1446 under the command of Prince Henry of Portugal (1394-1460). These and other voyages of Prince Henry opened the West African coast to exploration, provided new geographical information for mapmakers, and helped confirm Portugal's place as a navigational power. They also, however, marked the beginning of the slave trade.

History first records Tristão for his involvement with Prince Henry. Although known as Prince Henry the Navigator, the prince never actually joined any of the expeditions associated with his name. Instead, this son of Portuguese King John I opted to plan and fund the trips while remaining onshore. In particular, Prince Henry focused on the exploration of Africa, developing an overall...