The Portuguese Empire existed at the same time as the Renaissance.
Portuguese Empire . Portuguese sailors began exploring the coast of Africa and the Atlantic archipelagos in 1418 -- 19 , using recent developments in navigation , cartography and maritime technology such as the caravel , in order that they might find a sea route to the source of the lucrative spice trade . The Renaissance ( [ rᵻˈneɪsəns ] , [ rɛnəˈsɑːns ] ) was a period in European history , from the 14th to the 17th century , regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history .