Known as the Perfect Prince, John is a proud son and the only male heir of Afonso the African, in 1481 he ascends to the throne of Portugal. A brilliant, fiery, and ruthless man, King John II has learned from his father's mistakes and now knows the future of his small kingdom is not in North Africa, but instead, lies to the east in the Indies-within the riches of the spice trade.
In order for his dream to come true, King John II needs astronomers to guide his four ships as well as priests and lawyers-wily men who can win a kingdom with the stroke of a pen or conquer a foreign land with a well-placed clause. Building on the network of his great uncle, Henry the Navigator, King John II sends his ships down the west coast of Africa and his spies across the Red Sea to India.
In this tale of adventure on the high seas, men will expertly read the stars, deftly play political and war games, and dare to risk the future of an entire nation for Marco Polo's pot of gold, ultimately causing the rise of a small country onto the world stage.