The Hindus residing there greeted da Gama and his crew members. In March that year, he stopped at a Muslim city-state on the east coast of Africa, where he wasn’t received well. By January 1498, many of his crew members had fallen sick and the expedition had to be halted. Going around the Cape of Good Hope, he sailed to the eastern coast of Africa in the direction of the Indian Ocean. Starting on July 8 with four vessels, he headed south on his mission to find a sea route to India and the East. Here’s a little about this first voyage of his. He sailed from Lisbon in July 1497 and arrived in Calicut, India the following year. After the death of his father, Vasco da Gama took charge of the sailing expedition. Vasco da Gama was known for his firmness and fortitude. Eventually, the king had to choose Vasco da Gama for the voyage to India. Unfortunately, he died even before the project details were finalized. He failed in accomplishing the mission after which Estevao da Gama was selected. It so happened that Bartholomew Diaz, a Nobleman of the Royal Household and a Portuguese explorer was chosen for the expedition to search for a sea route to India. There is an interesting story behind how Vasco da Gama was chosen on the mission of seeking a sea route to India. The plans were ongoing since Vasco da Gama was aged ten. Their plan was to reach India via a sea route. Vasco da Gama effectively accomplished this feat.įrom the early years of the fifteenth century, the nautical school of Henry the Navigator was exploring the African coastline. In 1492, King John II of Portugal sent Vasco da Gama to the port of Setubal to capture the French ships engaged in peacetime predations against the Portuguese. Perhaps, he learned astronomy under the guidance of the astronomer Abraham Zacuto. In Evora, he studied navigation and astronomy. He was brought up in a maritime environment and trained in fishing, sailing, and swimming during his childhood.Īt the age of fifteen he was a sailor. Vasco da Gama’s mother came from an English family.ĭuring his childhood, Vasco da Gama was educated as a nobleman and he served in the court of King Joao II. His father’s family was closely associated with the military Order of Avis and later with the Order of St. He was the son of Estevao da Gama and Isabel Sodre. He was born on the southwest of Portugal, possibly in a house near the church of Nossa Senhora das Salas. The exact year of his birth is not known. In 1498, by reaching India, Vasco da Gama proved that access to the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic was possible. They were the first ships to leave the Mediterranean to reach the Atlantic. The exploration began in Portugal with the creation of the carrack and the caravel shipping designs. They used different types of sailing ships in their search of a trade route to Asia. During this period, the Europeans explored the oceans to seek options in trade. The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration was a period between the early 15th century and the early years of the 17th century. Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer and one of the most notable figures in the European Age of Discovery.
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