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Diogo Cão Erects Stone Pillars on the South African Coast

Type Event Region Africa Time 1485

In 1485, Portuguese navigator Diogo Cão, on his second West African voyage, erected padrão stone pillars bearing royal emblems at Cape Cross in prese…

Timeline

  1. 1485Southwestern coast of Africa · Angolan coastDiogo Cão again led his fleet south along Africa's west coast, continuing the 1482 exploration route with the aim of further charting sea lanes and extending the sphere of Portuguese influence.
  2. 1485Cape Cross · NamibiaThe fleet landed near present-day Cape Cross in Namibia and erected a pillar engraved with the Portuguese royal arms and the year, as a formal claim over the coastal lands and sea lanes.
  3. 1485Cape Santa Maria · AngolaThe fleet continued north to the area of Cape Santa Maria in Angola, erecting a second pillar marking the northernmost endpoint of the exploration and recording contact with local kingdoms.

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