Setting the Scene – First Europeans -1

The flat world idea seems ridiculous to us, but it was firmly believed in the Middle Ages. We see old drawings of an elephant standing on a tortoise, supporting the world. It was also believed that if you sailed too far in any direction, that you would simply fall off the edge into oblivion. The seas were also populated with fantastic monsters that could sink ships and devour errant sailors. Massive whales and giant squid could drag ships under the waves. As you sailed closer to the equator, it became hotter, a good chance that you would be boiled alive in a boiling sea. Little wonder that there were very few great voyages of discovery in this era.

Some people noticed though, that if you stand on a hill near the ocean, the horizon curves away left and right. The mast of a ship on the horizon is visible before its hull. Observations like these, indicated that the world must be round. What a ridiculous idea! And also blasphemous, in an age when blasphemy could be very unhealthy. A round world? How could anything exist on the other side? People and animals would fall off the world; plants could not grow because rain falls downward. By the end of the 15th century though, most accepted the idea that the world was in fact round, problem was that no one had proven it. Another interesting idea was that there had to be a great southern continent, in order to 'balance' the planet. After all, most of the known landmass was North of the Equator. This was not a new idea; some ancient geographers had suggested the same thing.

On maps produced around this era, a vast area in the south began to appear. It became known as Terra Australis. These vague outlines were of course quite fanciful, because no one had been there, but they were just an indication that there must be something there. And in fact there was, in a big way.

Medieval Europeans had been doing a rich trade with the East, in spices, silk, cotton, gold, and other commodities. They were constantly under threat from bandits on land, and pirates at sea, because most trade followed the caravan routes through Asia Minor, then through the Mediterranean ports. The ideal would be to establish ocean-shipping routes from country of origin to country of purchase, much more cheap, safe and efficient.

Prince Henry of Portugal encouraged his ships South down the African coast. If the African continent did not extend forever, there must be a route around it to the East. In 1484 a Captain Diaz, after being blown wildly off course to the south, turned back and found that he had rounded the tip of Africa. The Cape of Good Hope.

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