Vasco da Gama was born in 1469 in the city of Sines, into a noble family of a soldier who faithfully served King João II of Portugal. Vasco da Gama's career as a researcher began after the death of his father, who led an expedition planned to open a sea route to Asia.
flagship San Gabriel
Vasco da Gama received a crew of 170 people and departed from Lisbon on July 7, 1497 in the composition of three ships " San gabriel», « Berrio" and flagship "San Rafael "... His task was to find a sea route to India to establish trade relations that would provide Portugal with cheap goods. At that time, goods from Asia entered the European market, thanks to merchants from Venice, Cairo and Alexandria, by land routes, which turned out to be expensive. Portugal needed its own path.
ship "Batavia"
ship "San Rafael"
The voyage to the Cape of Good Hope was successful. The sea was calm, and the wind was blowing in the direction the sailors wanted. But as soon as we rounded Cape Zeleny, a hurricane and rain hit. The storm subsided only for a short time, and then began again. All this complicated the expedition's progress. The supplies of provisions and drinking water were running out. Several sailors died of starvation. The crew began to demand that the ships turn around and head for Portugal. Exhausted, but angry, the team revolted. The sailors wanted to chain Vasco da Gamu in chains, but he managed to break free and calm the rebels.
the traveler Vasco da Gama
The ships made anchorage off the coast of East Africa near Mozambique to fix rigging and sails. There, the team began their first trade relations with local residents. But this did not last long, since due to the hostile attitude of the natives, attempts to seize ships appeared. In this regard, the expedition was forced to leave the coast. Soon May 20, 1498 Vasco da Gama finally arrived at the port of Calicut (now Calcutta). This is a city on the east coast of India, where the trade of merchants from two continents - Africa and Hindustan was concentrated. Vasco da Gama showed diplomatic skills during negotiations with the Indian ruler Zatorin. After presenting gifts to the leader, attitudes towards travelers gradually began to change. In addition, the goods purchased in Africa had practically no value from the local residents. They soon began to show hostility. Vasco da Gama was imprisoned as a pirate. Barely escaping the death penalty, he was able to collect a rich cargo of precious stones, gold and coral. He finally agreed to conduct trade relations between the people of Zamorin and the Portuguese (the ruler really liked the spices). After the ships departed from the shores of India and headed for Portugal along the coast of Africa. Navigator gradually mapped the outlines of the continent.
return of sailors home
In September 1499, an expedition consisting of two ships and 55 people of an exhausted team arrived at the port of Lisbon. They were greeted as heroes. Indeed, in addition to the values that brought a lot of income to the economy of the state, Vasco da Gama put on the world map more than 4,000 km of the African coast from the mouth of the Great Fish River to the port of Malindi, inscribing his name in world history as the discoverer of the sea trade route from Europe to India.
