Cabo Verde history - discovery and the Slave Trade Hub
The Dawn of Cape Verde: Discovery and the Rise as a Slave Trade Hub (1456–1600)
In the annals of Atlantic history, the Cape Verde archipelago stands as a pivotal bridge between continents, its story beginning in the mid-15th century. For many readers today, the islands evoke images of pristine beaches and vibrant Creole culture, yet few grasp the profound significance of their early years under Portuguese rule. This period, from the discovery in 1456 to around 1600, transformed uninhabited volcanic outcrops into a cornerstone of empire-building, primarily through their role as a slave trade entrepôt. By clarifying this phase, we uncover how Cape Verde's strategic location off West Africa not only facilitated exploration but also fueled the tragic machinery of transatlantic slavery, setting the stage for centuries of global interconnections—and exploitation.
Discovery and Exploration: Uncharted Horizons
The Cape Verde islands entered recorded history in 1456, when they were first sighted by European mariners. Credited to Venetian captain Alvise Cadamosto and Genoese Antoniotto Usodimare, working under Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator, the archipelago was found entirely uninhabited, though covered in vegetation that hinted at potential habitability. No indigenous populations were present, a rarity that made the islands an ideal blank slate for colonization. Over the following years, explorers like Diogo Gomes and António de Noli—Italian-born but in Portuguese service—mapped the ten main islands, from Santo Antão in the north to Brava in the south. Noli, in particular, is often hailed as the "discoverer" for his detailed surveys, earning him governorship from King Afonso V. These voyages were part of Portugal's broader Age of Discovery, driven by the quest for African gold, spices, and a sea route to India. Historical accounts, such as Cadamosto's own navigational logs and later chronicles in Portuguese royal archives, emphasize the islands' midway position between Europe and Africa, roughly 500 kilometers west of Senegal, as key to their appeal.
Settlement and the Birth of Ribeira Grande
By 1462, the Portuguese crown had formalized control, granting the islands as a hereditary fief to Prince Fernando, brother of King Afonso V. That same year marked the founding of Ribeira Grande (now Cidade Velha) on Santiago Island, the first permanent European settlement in the tropics.
This site, with its natural harbor and fertile valleys, quickly grew from a modest outpost into a bustling hub. Early settlers included Portuguese adventurers, Genoese merchants, Flemish traders, reprieved convicts, and Sephardic Jews escaping Iberian persecution.
To encourage population growth, the king granted trading privileges in 1466, allowing residents to engage in West African commerce—though these were later monopolized by the crown. Ribeira Grande's cathedral (built in 1495) and fortifications symbolized its rising status, making it one of the wealthiest cities in the Portuguese realm by the late 1500s.
The Defining Role: A Hub for the Slave Trade
Cape Verde's true "crucial purpose," as contemporaries described it, emerged through its integration into the transatlantic slave trade. Proximity to the West African coast—particularly Guinea and Senegal—positioned the islands as an indispensable waystation for enslaving Africans destined for the Americas.
From the 1470s onward, Portuguese traders imported enslaved people to work on local plantations, cultivating cotton and sugar for export. The "panos" (cotton cloths) woven by enslaved women became a staple trade item, exchanged for more captives on the mainland. Salt evaporation ponds on islands like Maio and Sal, along with horse breeding on Santiago, further bolstered the economy. By the 16th century, Ribeira Grande centralized this trafficking, with thousands of enslaved individuals passing through annually en route to Brazil and the Caribbean. The 1496 expulsion of Jews from Portugal, many resettled in Cape Verde, added mercantile expertise to the system.
Pirate raids, such as Francis Drake's sackings in 1582 and 1585, underscored the islands' vulnerability amid European rivalries. By 1600, Cape Verde had solidified its role, blending European, African, and emerging Creole elements into a society stratified by race and status—whites at the top, enslaved Africans at the bottom.
This formative era, often overshadowed in popular narratives, laid the islands' enduring foundations. Understanding it reveals not just Cape Verde's past, but the interconnected threads of global history woven through human ambition and suffering.Enter your text here...