Dinis Dias

Dinis Dias was a 15th-century Portuguese explorer who sailed down the coast of West Africa, passing the Senegal River and reaching the

for the first time.

In 1445, as Dias was beginning to enter old age and made the decision to take up exploring because "he was unwilling to let himself grow soft in the well being of repose", left Portugal and sailed down the West African coast, setting a new record by reaching a point about 800 kilometres south of

, but rather the actual cape.

The success of this expedition has been attributed to his lack of interest in taking slaves, a pursuit most Portuguese mariners in Africa focused on.^[1]

Later that year, Dias sailed with the explorer

.

See also

• Portugal in the period of discoveries
• Portuguese empire

Notes

References

• Castlereagh, Duncan. Encyclopedia of Discovery and Exploration - The Great Age of Exploration. Aldus Books London, 1971.
• Howgego, Raymond John, ed. (2003). "Dias, Dinis". Encyclopedia of Exploration to 1800. Hordern House.
  ISBN 1875567364
  .