They sailed past the Canary Islands, and reached the Cape Verde islands by July 26. Bartolomeu Dias also sailed with da Gama, and gave helpful advice for navigating down the African coast. There was also the caravel Berrio, and a storeship São Maria.
Paulo da Gama – brother to Vasco – commanded the São Rafael, a three masted ship. On 8 July 1497 Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon with a fleet of four ships with a crew of 170 men from Lisbon. Although other people were considered for the job, Manuel I finally chose thirty-seven year old Vasco da Gama for this task. When Manuel I became king of Portugal in 1495, he continued efforts to open a trade route to India by going around Africa. But he was forced to head back to Portugal before he could make it to India. It was Bartolomeu Dias who was the first to round Africa and make it to the Indian Ocean in 1488. 4 In 1481, King John II of Portugal began sending expeditions to find a sea route around the southern shores of Africa. From about 1419 until his death in 1460, he sent several sailing expeditions down the coast of Africa. Prince Henry of Portugal – also called Prince Henry the Navigator – began Portugal’s great age of exploration. This meant they could, and did, charge high prices for ships passing through ports. The Ottoman Empire controlled almost all European trade routes to Asia. Vasco da Gama’s maritime career was during the period when Portugal was searching for a trade route around Africa to India.
3 These skills would all make him an acceptable choice to lead an expedition to India. By the age of twenty, he was the captain of a ship. By fifteen he became familiar with trading ships that were docked in port. Here, he learned advanced mathematics, and studied principles of navigation. Vasco attended school in a larger village about 70 miles from Sines called Évora. But because he lived close to a seaport town, he probably also learned about ships and navigation. 2 His father’s role in the court would have allowed young Vasco to have a good education. His father, Estêvão da Gama, was a knight in the Duke of Viseu’s court and his mother was a noblewoman named Isabel Sodré. It is believed he was born between 14 in Sines, Portugal.
Vasco da Gama’s exact birthdate and place is unknown. Portugal celebrated his success, and his voyage launched a new era of discovery and world trade.
By doing so, he helped open a major trade route to Asia. Europeans during this time were looking to find a faster way to reach India by sailing around Africa. But they had to navigate long ways over sea and land to reach them in Asia. Gold, spices, and other riches were valuable in Europe. Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer who sailed to India from Europe.
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