Pedro de Sintra

Pedro de Sintra, also known as Pero de Sintra or Pedro da Cintra, was a Portuguese explorer. He was one of the first Europeans to explore the West African coast. Around 1462, his expedition reached a place now called Sierra Leone and gave it its name. It is not certain if he was the first to name the area, but if he did, he might have named it after the shape of the land or the sounds of thunderstorms there.

After visiting Sierra Leone, de Sintra continued his journey to areas now part of Liberia. He passed by important points like Cape Mount and Cape Corso, and stopped at some forested hills he called Bosco de Santa Maria. Eventually, he turned back because his team could not understand the local language.

De Sintra returned to Portugal in 1462. His voyage was important because it was the only one led by the new king Alfons V. Later, the king made a contract with a merchant for more exploration along the West African coast. De Sintra also took part in an expedition in 1481 to help build a trading post called São Jorge da Mina.