The European explorers who dared to face the perils of the unknown have in recent times become shrouded in controversy. No longer esteemed as heroes, except in their homelands, these bold explorers are now seen as purveyors of disease, destruction and slavery whose only interests were finding gold, becoming famous, and spreading their religious beliefs. But, as the author of this work points out, these explorers broke down long-standing myths and broadened the world's horizons.

Beginning with Prince Henry the Navigator's worldly vision of finding a direct sea route to India and concluding with Ferdinand Magellan's quest to be the first man to sail around the world, this work tells the collective story of the numerous explorers who sought to find a path to the exotic spices and other treasures of the Far East. Most of the explorers included in this work were of the same generation and several of them even sailed together. The book also examines the political, social and economic factors that ushered in the age of exploration and had such an impact upon the explorers.