Portuguese Exploration of Africa in the 15th Century

The portuguese knew that somewhere south of the sahara desert lay sources of gold. The possibility of outflanking the islamic barrier and accessing the wealth of continental africa directly was a powerful incentive. At the same time, in competition with castile and through the offices of the papacy, the european pioneers forged a new geo political idea. Spaces were to be carved up between the iberian rivals into zones of exclusive influence and monopoly tradingglobalization, as we see now on an almost daily basis, is disruptive. And the portuguese arrival in the indian ocean caused immediate jolts to a trade system that was millennia old.