Henry the Navigator's efforts were aimed at bypassing which dominant trading power?

Henry the Navigator's efforts were aimed at bypassing which dominant trading power?

• A. Genoa
• B. Alexandria
• C. Lisbon
• D. Venice

Answer: (D)

The main idea is to bypass a dominant Mediterranean trading power in order to reach Asia directly by sea. Venice stood as the emblem of that power, controlling much of the Mediterranean spice and luxury-goods trade through its networks. Henry the Navigator funded and encouraged voyages that would take Portugal around Africa to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Italian middlemen and their Venice-controlled trade routes. By opening a direct sea route to Asia, Portugal could compete more independently for spices and riches. The other places aren’t the focal point of this shift: Alexandria was a historic port but not the era’s controlling gateway for East–West trade, and Lisbon is the Portuguese capital rather than the rival trading power being referenced.

The main idea is to bypass a dominant Mediterranean trading power in order to reach Asia directly by sea. Venice stood as the emblem of that power, controlling much of the Mediterranean spice and luxury-goods trade through its networks. Henry the Navigator funded and encouraged voyages that would take Portugal around Africa to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Italian middlemen and their Venice-controlled trade routes. By opening a direct sea route to Asia, Portugal could compete more independently for spices and riches. The other places aren’t the focal point of this shift: Alexandria was a historic port but not the era’s controlling gateway for East–West trade, and Lisbon is the Portuguese capital rather than the rival trading power being referenced.