The Age of Discovery

Lore & Background

Portuguese oceanic exploration began with maritime expeditions to the Macaronesian islands, including the Canary Islands, as well as Madeira and the Azores. It continued with voyages along the coast of West Africa in 1434, and culminated in the establishment of a sea route to India in 1498 by Vasco da Gama. Spain made the transatlantic voyages of Christopher Columbus (1492–1504), which marked the beginning of colonization in the Americas, the Magellan expedition (1519–1522), which opened a route from the Atlantic to the Pacific and completed the first circumnavigation of the globe. Spain also undertook the conquest of Mexico (1519–1521), the conquest of Peru (1532–1533), and the Manila galleon trade route (1565–1815). European exploration initiated the Columbian exchange between the Old World and New World, involving the transfer of plants, animals, human populations (including slaves), communicable diseases, and culture.

In Their Own Story

The salt spray stings the admiral's eyes as he squints at the horizon. His carrack, the *Santa Maria da Esperança*, has been at sea for forty days. The crew mutters of sea monsters and the edge of the world. But the admiral remembers the promise made to King Afonso V: a new route to the Indies, a path to glory and gold. Suddenly, the lookout cries out. A line of green appears on the western edge of the world. The admiral smiles. The Age of Discovery has begun. But this is only the first step. Behind him, in the counting houses of Lisbon and Seville, merchants are already calculating profits. In the jungles of the New World, empires of gold and jade await their first glimpse of steel-clad strangers. And in the palaces of Europe, rivals sharpen their knives, ready to seize whatever wonders the admiral brings home.

Reader's Guide

The source article does not provide a guide for gameplay or mechanics. It describes the historical period only.

Did You Know?

• The term 'age of discovery' has been scrutinized critically, with some scholars preferring 'Age of Reconnaissance' or 'Age of Contact'.
• The concept of 'discovery' has been used to enforce colonial claiming but has been challenged by Indigenous peoples and researchers.
• The Portuguese began systematically exploring the Atlantic coast of Africa in 1418 under Prince Henry the Navigator.
• Spain's transatlantic voyages of Columbus marked the beginning of colonization in the Americas.