15 Facts About Diogo Gomes

Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator.

Diogo Gomes's memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim.

Diogo Gomes explored and ascended up the Gambia River in West Africa and discovered some of the Cape Verde islands.

Probably a native of Lagos, Portugal, Diogo Gomes began as page in the household of Prince Henry the Navigator and subsequently rose to the rank of cavaleiro by 1440.

Diogo Gomes participated in the 1445 slave raid led by Lancarote de Freitas of Lagos on the Arguin banks, and claims to have personally captured 22 Berber slaves single-handedly.

Circa 1456, Gomes was sent out by Prince Henry in command of three vessels down the West African coast.

Diogo Gomes is said to have reached as far as Rio Grande, a huge leap beyond the last point known to be reached by the Portuguese.

On his return, Diogo Gomes put in at the Gambia River and ascended up the Gambia a considerable distance, some 50 leagues, reaching as far as the major market town of Cantor, an entrepot of the Mali gold trade.

At Cantor, Diogo Gomes collected much information about the gold mines and trade patterns of the upper Senegal and upper Niger, of the cities of Kukia and Timbuktu and the Trans-Saharan trade routes that stretched to the Moroccan coast.

Diogo Gomes sailed down to the Saloum River delta in Senegal, to enter into trade with the Serer people of Sine and Saloum.

Diogo Gomes speaks, with some resentment, of how Antonio de Noli managed to reach Lisbon before him and secured the captaincy of Santiago island from the king before his arrival.

Prince Henry having died in 1460; thus after his return, Diogo Gomes retired from active exploring and pursued a career with Henry's nephew and heir Ferdinand of Viseu and the royal court.

Already in advanced age, Diogo Gomes orally dictated his memoirs to the German cartographer Martin Behaim during the latter's sojourn in Portugal.

Diogo Gomes gives the first detailed account of the rediscovery of the Azores by the Portuguese in Prince Henry's service.

Diogo Gomes gives a touching account of the last illness and death of Prince Henry.