Where is vasco da gama from

In , he was appointed to command an expedition equipped by the Portuguese government, whose intention was to find a maritime route to the East. Setting off in July , da Gama's expedition took advantage of the prevailing winds by sailing south down the coast of Africa, then veering far out into the Atlantic and swinging back in an arc to arrive off the southern African coast.

This established a route still followed by sailing vessels. The expedition then rounded the Cape of Good and, after sailing up the coast of east Africa, took on an Arab navigator who helped them reach the Indian coast, at Calicut now Kozhikode in May This voyage launched the all-water route from Europe to Asia. Da Gama returned to Portugal. The king immediately dispatched another expedition to secure a trading post at Calicut. After hearing of the massacre of all those at the trading post, da Gama sailed for India again in attacking Arab Muslim ships he met on the way.

This conflict, along with hostility from Muslim traders, led Da Gama to leave without concluding a treaty and return to Portugal. After Muslim traders killed 50 of his men, Cabral retaliated by burning 10 Muslim cargo vessels and killing the nearly sailors aboard.

He then moved on to Cochin, where he established the first Portuguese trading post in India. For these brutal demonstrations of power, da Gama was vilified throughout India and the region. Upon his return to Portugal, by contrast, he was richly rewarded for another successful voyage. Da Gama had married a well-born woman sometime after returning from his first voyage to India; the couple would have six sons.

For the next 20 years, da Gama continued to advise the Portuguese ruler on Indian affairs, but he was not sent back to the region until , when King John III appointed him as Portuguese viceroy in India. Da Gama arrived in Goa with the task of combating the growing corruption that had tainted the Portuguese government in India.

He soon fell ill, and in December he died in Cochin. His body was later taken back to Portugal for burial there. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. In , Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias c.

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In search of fame and fortune, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan c. En route he discovered what is now known as the Strait of Magellan and became the Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian-born merchant and explorer who took part in early voyages to the New World on behalf of Spain around the late 15th century. In the wake of Cabral's success and battles, the king charged da Gama to further secure Portugal's dominance in the region. To do so, da Gama embarked on one of the most gruesome massacres of the exploration age.

He and his crew terrorized Muslim ports up and down the African east coast, and at one point, set ablaze a Muslim ship returning from Mecca, killing the several hundreds of people including women and children who were on board.

Next, the crew moved to Calicut, where they wrecked the city's trade port and killed 38 hostages. From there, they moved to the city of Cochin, a city south of Calicut, where da Gama formed an alliance with the local ruler. Finally, on February 20, , da Gama and his crew began to make their way home. They reached Portugal on October 11 of that year. Little was recorded about da Gama's return home and the reception that followed, though it has been speculated that the explorer felt miffed at the recognition and compensation for his exploits.

Married at this time, and the father of six sons, da Gama settled into retirement and family life. He maintained contact with King Manuel, advising him on Indian matters, and was named count of Vidigueira in Late in life, after the death of King Manuel, da Gama was asked to return to India, in an effort to contend with the growing corruption from Portuguese officials in the country. That same year, da Gama died in Cochin — the result, it has been speculated, from possibly overworking himself.

His body was sailed back to Portugal, and buried there, in We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.

While in the service of Spain, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led the first European voyage of discovery to circumnavigate the globe. Henry the Navigator, a 15th century Portuguese prince, helped usher in both the Age of Discovery and the Atlantic slave trade. He is best known for his explorations of the coast of California from Venetian merchant and adventurer Marco Polo traveled from Europe to Asia from to Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was commissioned by the Portuguese king to find a maritime route to the East.

He was the first person to sail directly from Europe to India. Olivia Rodrigo —.