Final answer:
The Portuguese traveled around Africa in the 15th century to find a new maritime route to Asia and trade directly, bypassing the costly Mediterranean route controlled by Arab traders.
Step-by-step explanation:
Portuguese Exploration and Trading
In the 15th century, the Portuguese needed to find a new maritime route to Asian markets to avoid paying high prices to Muslim North Africans who controlled the overland trade routes for lucrative goods such as spices, gold, and slaves. The Mediterranean route was dominated by Arab traders, and the Portuguese sought to bypass these middlemen for greater profits. Under the sponsorship of figures like Prince Henry the Navigator, Portugal sought an all-water route by exploring along the Western and Southern coasts of Africa, eventually rounding the Cape of Good Hope to gain access to the Indian Ocean.
The Portuguese also recognized the value of Africa itself for trade, raiding for captive slaves and setting up outposts along the coast, like the fortress of Elmina. Important commodities such as gold, ivory, and enslaved people were traded, which furthered their economic interests. The voyages of Bartolomeu Dias in 1488 and Vasco de Gama in 1497 established the sea route around southern Africa to Asia. As they could not compete in the Mediterranean, Portugal was granted exclusive rights to trade in Africa south of Cape Bojador by the papal decree Romanus Pontifex in 1455.
Hence, the journey around Africa was not merely a detour but a strategic move to establish direct trade routes to Asian markets while exploiting the resources and trading opportunities along the African coast.