Vasco da Gama

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Have you ever heard of the city Vasco da Gama in Goa? How about the crater on the moon named Vasco da Gama? He was a Portuguese explorer who stole the spice trade from the Muslims and brought great wealth to his country. He has a fascinating history, major contribution to world expedition, and has multiple places named after him.
Vasco da Gama was born in Sines around 1465. Little is known about his early life ,but it is thought that he studied in a town called Evora. Around 1480 he followed his father and joined the Order of Santiago. The master of the order was Prince John who would take the throne in 1481 as King John II of Portugal; as a devoted member, Gama’s prospects rose accordingly. John II sent him to the port of Setubal and to the Algarve to seize French ships for their retaliations against Portugal’s shipping. He carried out this mission effectively and swiftly. This success was what lead John II to appoint Gama a fleet of four ships to discover a route from Portugal to India through the Indian Ocean. He set sail on 8 July 1479. He travelled along the African coast on mapped routes but then traveled out into the open ocean seeking the South Atlantic Westerlies which he found. The ship travelled over 6000 miles in three months which was the longest journey without a sight of land for that time. He approached Mombasa and Malindi but was met with hostility because of Muslim tentions between Christians. Finally, he made it to Calicut, India on 20 May 1498. He met with the King of Calicut, the Samudiri. With only minimal gifts the King wasn’t impressed. The Muslim traders tried to persuade the King that he was a common pirate. The King ended up refusing Gama’s offer of letting a factor stay behind in charge of the...

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... African coast of where Vasco da Gama landed during his expedition. A town is named after him in Goa along with a crater on the moon.
Vasco da Game was the first person to travel to India from Portugal. His first voyage was a success, but his second voyage failed. He left a substantial mark on history and made a huge impact for the Portuguese at that time. We see the significance of his exploration in all of the things named after him.

Works Cited

• Hartig, Otto. "Vasco da Gama." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company,1909. 18 Feb. 2014.
• "Vasco da Gama." ThinkQuest. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 February 2014. http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/dagama.html .
• "Vasco da Gama." History. BBC. BBC, n.d. Web. 12 February 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/da_gama_vasco.shtml .

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