Why was Portugal the first nation to find an all-water route to the East?
Answers
because, When the Knights Templar got kicked out of Constantinople, (Istanbul) they went to Portugal. With them they brought all their knowledge, including navigational instruments, and knowledge of geography. When prince Henry the navigator was growing up, He learned all he could from the Knights Templar. Later in life, he opened a seafaring school in Portugal. The Portuguese became great seamen, and navigator, and spent much of their resources on finding other ways to Asia, avoiding the Italians. They searched the African coast, and eventually they sent Bartholomew Dias down the coast of Africa to go around the southern tip, (the Cape of Good Hope) he made it around the tip, but ran out of supplies. Later they sent Vasco de Gama, who made it to India by a western route. In short, The Portuguese were first because, They had good sailors, and sailing equipment, due to Prince Henry the Navigator, and the Knights Templar. They also had one idea, and Stuck with it, not wasting their resources on other things.