Compare And Contrast Zheng He And Prince Henry

When comparing the Chinese and Western historical development, the similar key events would have very different outcomes due to their different backgrounds. During the fifteenth century, Zheng He was commissioned to lead the “treasure ships” for seven voyages down the Western Seas. And, Prince Henry sent expeditions to explore the western coast of Africa. China and Portugal, the both ends of the Eurasian continent, almost simultaneously began marine navigations. They have shared some similar features, but there are actually major differences between the two. This paper will compare and contrast these two remarkable explorers. The focus will be on the ideas and circumstances that influenced their actions, and their importance in shaping history.

Zheng He and Prince Henry’s navigations were both supported by their own political authority at that time.

Zheng got government-outfitted fleets and fully sponsored resources from the Ming dynasty ruler Yongle. The same as Henry got monopolies and broad-based supports from the King Duarte I, Portuguese merchants, the Catholic Church and loyal peasants. However, the initiation behind them were different. On one hand, Zheng was a eunuch been ordered by the emperor to take voyages. He was just an official executor under the emperor’s will of consolidating his imperial power and displayed the great Chinese power. On the other hand, Henry was a prince who enjoyed more power. Unlike Zheng as a servant had lots of limitations on his actions and no independence in making decisions, Henry as a dominator had the domination to do anything he wanted. He was motivated by his own will that allowed him to do things in a more open-minded way. For example, he established navigational schools and funded private navigations, instead of personally lead those voyages as Zheng did. While Zheng have not religious reasons for sailing, Henry had strong religious aims of finding military allies to outflank the Moors by sea. In short, they had different motivations on began

expeditions.

They both seek profits for their countries under very different social circumstances. China believed it was the court of the Son of Heaven that had higher civilization than all others. Therefore, Zheng been sent a tribute mission that gave gifts to the foreign rulers he visited and brought back envoys and animal mascots. While China was more focused on the political profits, Henry was Portugal was longing for riches and economic profits such as the slave trade. At that time, China was having anti-commercial and anti-foreign biases that made the sea trade was government monopoly. And, the Chinese government was taken less importance on sea exploration as they mainly got taxes on farming. Unlike China was self-sufficient, Portugal relied heavily on outside goods and have to compete with other western countries.

They both have important position in shaping the world’s maritime history. Zheng was more like a milestone marked the peak of the ancient navigation. Like Zheng, Henry marked as the beginning of the Great Age of Exploration. However, their influences in the history were different.Zheng contributed more as a symbol of advanced ancient human civilization from the continent to the sea. Unlike Zheng only brought short-term effects, Henry brought a long-term practical effects on the history. He was the originator of the new discoveries later on. If he didn’t send pioneering explorations and funded the navigations, Bartholomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Columbus’s new discoveries won’t happened later on. For Zheng He his travels marked as an end of sea travel for his people but for Henry a beginning.

In conclusion, Zheng and Henry were both supported by their rulers, seek profits for their countries and gave contributions to world new discoveries. Their voyages made the world we knew. Despite the superficial similarities between them, there are also differences in their intentions and social atmospheres.