Talk:Vasco da Gama

NAME: Vasco da Gama OCCUPATION: Explorer BIRTH DATE: c. 1460 DEATH DATE: December 24, 1524 PLACE OF BIRTH: Sines, Portugal PLACE OF DEATH: Cochin, India less about Vasco Language Portuguese

xplorer Vasco da Gama was born in Sines, Portugal around 1460. In 1497, he was commissioned by the Portuguese king to find a maritime route to the East. His success in doing so proved to be one of the more instrumental moments in the history of navigation. He subsequently made two other voyages to India, and was nominated as Portuguese viceroy in India in 1524.

Contents Synopsis Early Years First Voyage Second Voyage Later Years Early Years Explorer Vasco da Gama was born into a noble family around 1460 in Sines, Portugal. Little is known about his upbringing except that he was the third son of Estvo da Gama, who was commander of the fortress in Sines in the southwestern pocket of Portugal. When he was old enough young Vasco da Gama joined the navy, where was taught how to navigate.

Known as a tough and fearless navigator, da Gama helped solidify his reputation a reputable sailor when, in 1492, King John II of Portugal dispatched him to the south of Lisbon and then to the Algarve region of the country, to seize French ships as an act of vengeance against the French government for disrupting Portuguese shipping.

Following his completion of King John II's orders, in 1495, King Manual took the throne, and the country revived its earlier mission to find a direct trade route to India. By this time, Portugal had established itself as one of the most powerful maritime countries in Europe.

Much of that was due to Henry the Navigator, who, at his base in southern region of the country, had brought together a team of knowledgeable mapmakers, geographers and navigators. He dispatched ships to explore the western coast of Africa to expand Portugal's trade influence. He also believed that he could find and form an alliance with Prester John, who ruled over a Christian empire somewhere in Africa. Henry the Navigator never did locate Prester John, but his impact on Portuguese trade along Africa's east coast during his 40 years of explorative work was undeniable. Still, for all his work, the southern portion of Africa—what lay east—remained shrouded in mystery.

In 1487, an important breakthrough was made when Bartolomeu Dias discovered the southern tip of Africa and rounded the Cape of Good Hope. This journey was significant; it proved, for the first time, that the Atlantic and Indian oceans were connected. The trip, in turn, sparked a renewed interest in seeking out a trade route to India.

Best Known For

Vasco da Gama was the first person to sail directly from Europe to India He went on one last trip in 1524, to be the viceroy (governor) of the colony that the Portuguese had in India by that time, but he died soon after he got there on Christmas Eve.