Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese nobleman, was one of the most famous explorers of the Age of Discovery. He is celebrated for being the first European to reach India by sea, a monumental achievement that opened a direct maritime trade route between Europe and Asia.

Born in Sines, Portugal, around 1460, da Gama was appointed by King Manuel I to lead an expedition to find a sea route to the East. After a journey of over two years, his fleet rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived in Calicut, India, in May 1498. This voyage bypassed the existing overland trade routes controlled by Arab and Venetian merchants, fundamentally altering global commerce and power dynamics.

Da Gama's second voyage to India in 1502 was more militaristic, aimed at securing Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean. He led a fleet of twenty ships and engaged in several battles, establishing Portuguese trading posts and asserting their influence. His final voyage to India in 1524 was intended to be as the Portuguese viceroy, but he died shortly after arriving in Cochin.

Vasco da Gama's expeditions were pivotal in the expansion of Portuguese influence, the establishment of a global maritime empire, and the beginning of centuries of European colonialism in Asia. His voyages are a testament to the era's spirit of adventure, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of new horizons.

Learn more about other key figures from this era: