The portuguese nobleman vasco da gama 14601524 sailed from lisbon in 1497 on a mission to reach india and open a sea route from europe to the east. This one is one of the most gruesome incidents in the history of india and in school text books this dark side of portuguese explorer vasco da gama and his men was either ignored or left out. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers book, 1993. Vasco da gama was a portuguese explorer who sailed to india from europe. The fleet also carried padroes stone pillars to set up as marks of discovery. Vasco da gama was born during 1460 or 1469 in sines portugal. Ebsco publishing firm annotation biographies of some of the most important explorers the world has known ideal for research or class use written in accessible, easily understood language complements school. Vasco da gama portuguese explorer history for kids. This man was one of the most successful explorers from the age of discovery the period in 15th17th century history where europeans engaged in extensive exploration around the globe. Unlike christopher columbus, he did not discover new lands unknown to europeans. So, the indians do not get the true picture of gama and his murderous nature, besides his wanton plundering of commercial ships in the indian waters.
Jul 15, 2019 vasco da gama was a portuguese navigator and explorer who became the first person to sail directly from europe to india. This biography traces the dramatic life and career of vasco da gama, a portuguese explorer whose voyages played a pivotal role in expanding the portuguese empire and creating an impressive asian spice trade during the age of exploration in the 15th and 16th century. His father was the governor of his hometown, and vasco da gama was brought up as a young gentleman and received a good education. By the time he returned from his first voyage to india in 1499, he had spent 300 days at sea, more than two years from home, and had covered a distance of 24,000 miles. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Vasco da gama made one of the most important voyages of exploration in the renaissance. Vasco da gama was a portuguese explorer who, along with christopher columbus and ferdinand magellan, was one of the most famous european explorers of his time. The portuguese king manuel i sent da gama, then an admiral, on a second expedition to india between 1502 and 1503. Known in particular for being the first person to open up a direct maritime route between europe and asia, da gama sailed around africa to reach the western coast of india in the late 15 th century, which had major consequences for the.
Although you may not be in brussels to visit us, the photographs of our clientele and listings of available texts on this site should give you a good idea of what we have created. Learn more about da gamas life, voyages, and achievements in this article. Jul 11, 2019 vasco da gama was a portuguese explorer and the first person to navigate a route to the east and india. Specifically, he tells the story of the deeply flawed, fanatically religious, but very brave but edacious men who first sailed around the cape of good hope from portugal to india, and in the process broke up the monopoly of the spice trade that the. Next in the series of geographical heroes i am going to introduce the extraordinary voyages of the portuguese explorer vasco da gama 14601524. French astrologer famous for his book the prophecies duration.
His epochal voyage 149799 was made at the order of manuel i. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Vasco da gama was the main force in subduing lots of uprisings, mostly with the muslim traders, who carried out their trade in africa. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers explorers of. On december 24, 1524, portuguese explorer vasco da gama, 1st count of vidigueira, passed away. The portuguese vasco da gama ventured far from his native shore even further than his countryman dias had travelled a decade before. How vasco da gama s epic voyages turned the tide in a centuriesold clash of civilizations. Portuguese explorer vasco da gama was commissioned by the portuguese king to find a maritime route to the east. The da gama epoch refers to the era of european commercial and imperial expansion in asia. What languages were spoken by vasco da gama answers. The work celebrates the discovery of a sea route to india by the portuguese explorer vasco da gama 14691524. It is widely regarded as the most important work of portuguese literature and is frequently compared to virgil s aeneid 1st c.
Portuguese discovery of the sea route to india wikipedia. For over a century the portuguese riding on the success of vasco da gama s success established a colonial empire that had the richest trade in the. Provides an introduction to the life of fifteenthcentury portuguese explorer vasco da gama, who strengthened his nations power by expanding trade routes to india. Vasco da gama, portuguese navigator whose voyages to india in the late 15th. The hand written journal of vasco da gamas pioneering voyage to india, during the 15th century, has been included in the list of worlds most prestigious documents by the unesco. He followed in his fathers footsteps and soon commanded.
Not only is da gama a significant figure in the history of portugal and europe, but he is also an important personage in world history. In 1488, bartolomeu dias sailed around the southern tip of africa the cape of good hope. Marco polo, ibn battuta, vasco da gama, christopher columbus, ferdinand magellan, captain cook, lewis and clark. By the late 1400s, portugals prince henry was looking for a way to expand portuguese territory and gain access to the lucrative spice trade of the far east.
In 1498 the portuguese explorer vasco da gama discovered the first allwater route to asia from europe by sailing around the southern tip of africa to india. Munsters map on the right reflects the discoveries of portuguese explorers, bartolomeu dias and vasco da gama. Watch a short biography of explorer vasco da gama who was commissioned by the portuguese king to find a maritime route to the east. Little is known about vasco da gama s early life, but it is believed that he. Hes been dead for nearly five centuries but his name out of history wont fade the adventures of vasco da gama the stuff of which legends are made one of the great early explorers he died in fifteen twenty four. This book is a lively account of the voyages of exploration in the east, notably those of vasco da gama, who was much more successful than columbus. Feb 08, 2016 nobleman and explorer vasco da gama established a trade route that linked portugal directly with the indian spice market. The story of vasco da gama shows how a famous person in history can be presented as either a good guy or a bad guy. Rather than a book about the remarkable achievements of vasco da gama and other portuguese explorers, this is a promuslim propaganda tract espousing the. His arrival initially made little impact on mozambique, but soon afterward a small stream of european traders began to visit the coast of mozambique. Asked in explorers and expeditions, vasco da gama what type of danger did vasco da gama have.
He was the first person to sail directly from europe to india. The crew was made up of about 200 men, many of who had attended the navigational academy in portugal. However it is not written in a way that most children are going to enjoy reading it. He was the first european navigator to travel by sea to where modern day india is. Discover librarianselected research resources on vasco da gama from the. In 1498 a young captain named vasco da gama sailed from portugal, circumnavigated africa, crossed the indian ocean, and discovered the sea route to the indies and, with it, access to the fabled wealth of the east. In 1497, he was appointed to command an expedition equipped by the portuguese government, whose. Vasco da gama skip to main search results amazon prime. He was most famous for being the first european to sail from europe to india by going around africa. Unlike many explorers before him, da gama sailed west into uncharted waters avoiding the coast of africa.
How vasco da gamas epic voyages turned the tide in. The portuguese explorer came in search of gold and spices, but ended up unleashing political fury. The portuguese navigator vasco da gama set sail from belem, a village at the. Da gama was able to do this because of the high tech instruments that had been designed by ibm. He rounded the top of africa, sailed across the indian ocean, and landed in india. Along the way, many of his crew died of scurvy, an illness caused by lack of vitamin c. Coming off the reconquest of iberia, these fellows were intrepid, inured to suffering, and quite ruthless. Rebecca stefoff discusses the travels of vasco da gama and other portuguese explorers who helped establish an. What really happened when vasco da gama set foot in india. Vasco da gama, a portuguese explorer, located a sea route from portugal to east asia. He was to have made the sea voyage from portugal to india that eventually made his son.
Vasco da gama was an extraordinary explorer and a hero. Learn how he managed to sail around africas cape of good hope in this video. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers jim gallagher. List of books and articles about vasco da gama online. Vasco da gama news newspapers books scholar jstor february 2020. List of books and articles about vasco da gama online research. He was funded by portuguese kings to find a trade route to india and he conquered many lands during his voyages. Nigel cliffs holy war is a reinterpretation of the explorations conducted by vasco da gama. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers by jim gallagher. Epic voyage of vasco da gama connected europe to the east.
The voyage home to portugal was a difficult and long one. The quick story of the portuguese explorer vasco da gama. The ottomans benefited from the increase in intercontinental trade. You decide for yourself once you watch vasco da gama s life story. King manuel of portugal chose vasco da gama to open up the sea route to the east to india, just as columbus had opened up the sea route to the west a few years earlier. A navigator and explorer who opened for the portuguese the socalled spice route, which surrounded the african continent until reaching india. A nobleman of the kings household, vasco da gama was born at sines, portugal. Before him, all commerce of spices was made through the silk route, through the ottoman empire by land, through deserts on cammel. Da gama was born to a noble family in sines, portugal. In july 1497 when vasco da gama set sail for india, king manuel of portugal assorted a distinctly expendable crew of convicts and criminals to go with him.
Da gama s voyage was thought to be impossible to perform because many believed that the. He was one of the most successful explorers in the age of discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from europe to india. Vasco da gama and his crew spent three months in india and headed for home in august of 1498 ad. Vasco da gama 1st count of vidigueira specialty exploration born c. The biography of vasco da gama c14691524, who was the portuguese commander of the first ships to sail from europe to india. Biography of vasco da gama, portuguese explorer and the. Instead, da gama pioneered a new route to asia, a place known to europeans but very difficult to reach. And the portuguese explorere explorers of the new world. Vasco da gama was a portuguese explorer who was commander of the rst ships to sail from europe to india. In 1498 the portuguese explorer vasco da gama discovered the.
Jim gallagher discusses the travels of vasco da gama and other portuguese explorers who helped establish an. A journal of the first voyage of vasco da gama, 14971499 by alvaro velho. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers open library. Vasco da gama was familiar with the sea at a young age. Sep 23, 2014 little is known about vasco da gama s early life, but it is believed that he was a student of mathematics and navigation. Over het vroege leven van vasco da gama is weinig bekend. He led the first expedition that traveled from europe to india by sailing around africa. Vasco da gama was the first european to reach india via an oceanic route. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers library binding feb 1 1993. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. After sailing down the western coast of africa and rounding the cape of good hope, his expedition made numerous stops in africa before reaching the trading post of calicut, india.
Learn more about da gama s life, voyages, and achievements in this article. May 27, 20 vasco da gama, was a portuguese explorer who was commander of the first ships to sail straight from europe to india. Describes the fifteenth century voyages taken by portuguese explorer vasco da gama who furthered his nations power by expanding trade routes to india. Skip to main navigation skip to main navigation skip to search skip to search skip to content. Vasco da gama found a direct sea route from europe to asia, and was the first. While christopher columbus has gotten most of the ink for his 1492 transit of the atlantic ocean, which proved that a hitherto unknown by europeans but populated hemisphere lay over the western horizon, portuguese mariner vasco da gama s voyage, just five. In 1498 portuguese navigator vasco da gama rounded the cape of good hope and stopped in mozambique en route to becoming the first european to visit india by sea. Vasco da gama biography life of portuguese 1st count of. And the portuguese explorere explorers of the new world gallagher, jim on. Vasco da gama was born in about 1460 into a noble family. Vasco da gama was one of the notable portuguese explorers who discovered a sea route from portugal to the east. Journal first voyage vasco da gama 14971499 south asian history. In 1497, he was commissioned by the portuguese king to find a maritime route. Vasco da gama, portuguese navigator whose voyages to india in the late 15th and early 16th centuries opened up the sea route from western europe to the east by way of the cape of good hope.
On his second trip, vasco da gama took with him 20 armed ships. What effect did this voyage have on the ottoman empire. The portuguese explorer, vasco da gama 14601524, was the first european to sail from portugal to india. Vasco da gama was a portuguese sailor and explorer who lived between the 15th and 16th centuries. Vasco da gamas father was estevao da gama, who had served in the 1460s as a knight of the household of infante ferdinand, duke of viseu. Vasco da gama 14601524 was a portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from portugal to the east. This exciting new book tells the story of the relentless and at times tyrannical explorer vasco da gama. Vasco da gama was born sometime between 1460 and 1469 in sines, on the southwest coast of portugal. At the time of his appointment, he was a veteran soldier and a skilled mariner. Little is known about vasco da gamas early life, but it is believed that he. I dedicate this book to the amazing explorer vasco da gama. Portrait of vasco da gama by artist antonio manuel da fonseca in 1838.
Vasco da gama, was a portuguese explorer who was commander of the first ships to sail straight from europe to india. Instead of trying to focus on one explorer and what they accomplished, it focuses on all of the exploration that was done by portugal at that time. Explorer vasco da gama was born in sines, portugal, around 1460. His brother paulo was placed in command of one of them. On the 27th of may 1498, vasco da gama stepped ashore on the coast of malabar, and for kerala a new era began. He was the first european to find a trade route by sea from portugal all the way to india. Vasco da gama was born in a small coastal town in portugal named sines. Setting sail nation of seafarers along the coast of africa around the cape of good hope voyage of vasco da gama riches of the indies discusses the travels of vasco da gama and other portuguese explorers who helped establish an extensive empire for their country.
It was undertaken under the command of portuguese explorer vasco da gama during the reign of king manuel i in 14951499. His voyage showed that the atlantic and indian oceans flowed into each other. Portuguese explorers reached india in the 15th century, establishing a legacy of misunderstanding, suspicion, hostilityand violence. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers by rebecca stefoff, 9780791038, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Discusses the travels of vasco da gama and other portugese explorers who helped establish an extensive empire for their country. Zijn vader was estevao da gama, gouverneur van sines en silves. The portuguese discovery of the sea route to india was the first recorded trip made directly from europe to india via the cape of good hope, in the atlantic ocean. The travels of vasco da gama explorers and exploration by joanne mattern and patrick obrien sep 1, 2000. Vasco da gama and the portuguese explorers book, 2000. Biography of vasco da gama, portuguese explorer and the first european to reach india by sea study iq education. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Vasco da gama s father was estevao da gama, who had served in the 1460s as a knight of the household of infante ferdinand, duke of viseu. Vasco da gama returned to portugal from his first voyage to india in 1499 to a heros welcome.
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