Portuguese Navigator

Hello everyone,

                         It has been over 500 years since Vasco da Gama started his journey to India. Here are some facts on the Portuguese navigator and his journey.

Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese nobleman, was born around 1460. Da Gama sailed from Lisbon on July 8, 1497, with a crew of 170 men. He arrived at Calicut (now Kozhikode) on May 20, 1498.

Da Gama set sail on the first European voyage to India, more than 500 years ago, on this day (July 8). On his journey, he made stops at Mozambique, Mombasa and Malindi. His voyage opened the first all-water trade route between Europe and Asia.Da Gama failed to conclude a treaty—partly because of the hostility of Muslim merchants and partly because the trumpery presents and cheap trade goods that he had brought, while suited to the West African trade, were hardly in demand in India.

The Portuguese had mistakenly believed the Hindus to be Christians. After tension increased, da Gama left at the end of August, taking with him five or six Hindus so that King Manuel might learn about their customs. Ignorance and indifference to local knowledge had led da Gama to choose the worst possible time of year for his departure, and he had to sail against the monsoon.

Arriving in Goa in September 1524, da Gama immediately set himself to correct the many administrative abuses that had crept in under his predecessors. Whether from overwork or other causes, he soon fell ill and died in Cochin in December. In 1538 his body was taken back to Portugal. #rememberingVascoDaGama