What people did Henry the navigator encounter?

Henry the Navigator himself didn't encounter many people directly. He was a patron of exploration, not an explorer. He funded expeditions and directed them from the safety of Portugal. However, the explorers he sent out encountered many different people, mostly in West Africa.

Here are some examples:

* The Portuguese themselves: While most of the explorers were not nobles, they were all part of the Portuguese kingdom and represented its interests.

* The Berber people: Berber tribes lived along the North African coast and were significant players in the trans-Saharan trade. The Portuguese encountered them in their initial explorations.

* The peoples of West Africa: As Portuguese explorers moved further down the coast, they interacted with various West African kingdoms, including the kingdoms of Mali, Ghana, and the coastal trading communities. They traded for gold, ivory, and slaves, leading to significant cultural exchanges and eventually to the Portuguese colonization of parts of the region.

* The people of the Canary Islands: These islands were already colonized by the Spanish, but the Portuguese interacted with the indigenous Guanche people during their voyages.

The encounters between the Portuguese and the people of West Africa had a profound impact on both sides. They led to the spread of trade, disease, and culture, contributing to the development of the Atlantic slave trade and shaping the course of history in both Europe and Africa.