Vasco da Gama

Glossaries

Term	Definition
Vasco da Gama	Vasco da Gama (1469-1524) is a renowned Portuguese explorer, known for being the first to sail directly from Europe to India via the Cape of Good Hope. Vasco da Gama, born in 1469 in Sines, Portugal, and died in 1524 in Cochin, India, is an iconic figure of the Age of Discovery. In 1497, he was commissioned by King Manuel I of Portugal to find a maritime route to India. His expedition, which rounded Africa via the Cape of Good Hope and reached Calicut in India in 1498, paved the way for a new era of global trade. Da Gama made two more trips to India, strengthening Portuguese influence in the region. His discoveries not only transformed commerce between Europe and Asia but also helped establish Portuguese colonial presence in Asia.

Term

Definition

Vasco da Gama (1469-1524) is a renowned Portuguese explorer, known for being the first to sail directly from Europe to India via the Cape of Good Hope.

Vasco da Gama, born in 1469 in Sines, Portugal, and died in 1524 in Cochin, India, is an iconic figure of the Age of Discovery. In 1497, he was commissioned by King Manuel I of Portugal to find a maritime route to India. His expedition, which rounded Africa via the Cape of Good Hope and reached Calicut in India in 1498, paved the way for a new era of global trade. Da Gama made two more trips to India, strengthening Portuguese influence in the region. His discoveries not only transformed commerce between Europe and Asia but also helped establish Portuguese colonial presence in Asia.