During the Renaissance period, European explorers and navigators embarked on voyages of travel and exploration for reasons of gold, glory, and spreading Christianity. Technological advances like the compass and new ship designs like the caravel enabled these explorers to venture farther than ever before. Some of the most notable explorers of this era included Leif Ericsson, Marco Polo, Prince Henry the Navigator, Bartholomew Diaz, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, John and Sebastian Cabot, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Hernando Cortes, and Francisco Pizarro. Their journeys expanded geographic and navigational knowledge and led to the Age of Discovery.