Prince Henry the Navigator

Prince Henry lived in Portugal.  He wanted to the Indies by sailing so he could get spices.  He wanted to find a quicker way than on foot, going by ships instead.  But he didn't have the right stuff.  He built a school and a library.  There he improved the compass and he improved other sailing tools.  He brought good ship people to his school and they helped each other learn more.  They helped try to figure out how big the earth was and how they could get to the Indies.  He worked at it for a long time but never actually got to sail before he died.  He also helped make a different kind of ship.  It was kind of ship that Christoffer Columbus sailed in later.