▁European ▁emp ire ▁to ▁pen et rate ▁deep ▁into ▁Sub - S ah aran ▁Africa ▁to ▁establish ▁colon ies . ▁Portuguese ▁prince ▁Henry ▁the ▁N avigator ▁advanced ▁Portuguese ▁expl oration ▁of ▁Africa , ▁driven ▁by ▁two ▁des ires : ▁to ▁spread ▁Christian ity , ▁and ▁to ▁establish ▁Africa ▁as ▁a ▁bast ion ▁of ▁Christian ity ▁against ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire , ▁which ▁was ▁making ▁many ▁African ▁converts ▁to ▁Islam . ▁Africa ▁was ▁explo ited ▁for ▁commercial ▁purposes ▁because ▁of ▁another ▁Portuguese ▁goal : ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁route ▁to ▁India , ▁which ▁would ▁open ▁the ▁entire ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁region ▁to ▁direct ▁trade ▁with ▁Portugal . ▁Con quest ▁of ▁territory ▁in ▁Africa ▁also ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁could ▁use ▁African ▁gold ▁to ▁fin ance ▁travel ▁along ▁this ▁new ▁trade ▁route . ▁ ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁began ▁significant ▁trad ing ▁with ▁West ▁Africa ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁century . ▁This ▁trade ▁was ▁primarily ▁for ▁the ▁same ▁comm od ities ▁the ▁Arab s ▁had ▁bought — g old , ▁iv ory , ▁and ▁slaves . ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁sold ▁the ▁Afr icans ▁Indian ▁cloth ▁and ▁European ▁manufact ured ▁goods ▁but ▁refused ▁to ▁sell ▁them ▁guns . ▁So on , ▁however , ▁other ▁European ▁powers ▁such ▁as ▁France , ▁Den mark , ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁and ▁Britain ▁were ▁developing ▁their ▁own ▁trade ▁with ▁Africa , ▁and ▁they ▁had ▁fewer ▁restrictions . ▁The ▁major ▁European ▁imperial ▁powers ▁in ▁Africa ▁were ▁Portugal , ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁France , ▁and ▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent ▁Germany , ▁Belg ium , ▁Spain ▁and