Prince Henry ‘the Navigator’ of Portugal is famed for beginning the Age of Exploration. While never traveling further down the African coast than Morocco, the voyages he funded and directed led to expansive discovery of the West African coast. Like many other Pre-modern figures, few records of Henry’s life exist. The possible political motivations of these sources and their lack of historical, ethical standards bring their accuracy into question. The uncertainty of these sources allowed for their manipulation by nationalist identity builders. This study focused on analyzing the Pre-modern sources to discover how these themes reemerge in the twentieth century Estado Novo regime. The Estado Novo took part in a deliberate reshaping of national consciousness using the discoveries as its foundation. By analyzing the particular use of Henry by the Estado Novo in their national program and myth, simultaneously reveals and shrouds his historical significance. The importance of the discoveries to Portugalidade (what it means to be Portuguese) make the centrality of a figure like Prince Henry to national identity uniquely significant.
