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The sum of the distances in the outward and return voyages covered by Da Gama’s fleet made the expedition the longest ever ocean voyage till then, far longer than circumnavigating the earth by way of the Equator.
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He was rewarded by King Manuel I of Portugal and his discovery was hailed. After facing adverse conditions due to which he lost two ships and numerous members of his crew, he arrived in Lisbon on 29 August 1499. Vasco da Gama began his return voyage to Portugal on 29 August 1498. #6 His expedition to India and back to Portugal was the longest ever ocean voyage till then A steel engraving depicting the meeting between Vasco da Gama and Zamorin Though Da Gama was unable to strike a treaty with Zamorin, his expedition was financially successful as he brought in cargo that was worth sixty times the cost of the expedition. Da Gama was given a grand welcome by King Zamorin of Calicut but their relations soured as Da Gama’s presents failed to impress the king and due to the presence of hostile Muslim traders. He became the first European to reach India by sea, thus linking Europe with Asia through an ocean route. In May 1498, Vasco da Gama’s fleet reached the Indian coast of Calicut (now Kozhikode). #5 Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India by sea Pillar of Vasco da Gama in Malindi, 120 kms northeast of Mombasa In April 1498, they became the first Europeans to visit the port of Mombasa in Kenya, which lay in their route to India. Da Gama and his crew also overcame the challenge of sailing through waters which were previously unknown to Europeans. At that time this was the longest journey ever made out of sight of land. #4 He was the first known European to visit MombasaĪ part of the route required Da Gama’s fleet to sail more than 10,000 kilometres of open sea. A depiction of Vasco da Gama leaving the port of Lisbon in Portugal The expedition which consisted of four ships and a crew of around 170 men set sail from city of Lisbon on 8 July 1497. King Manuel I of Portugal chose Vasco da Gama to lead a fleet in search of an ocean route to India. In 1488, Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias became the first European to reach the Indian Ocean through the Atlantic, hence proving they were connected and sparking interest in establishing a maritime route to the East. #3 He led the Portuguese expedition to India It led to an era of European imperialism in the East making European countries world leaders and it also marked the advent of global multiculturalism. It enhanced the European economy through trade with the east, which was previously dominated by Muslims due to their geographical position. #2 His discovery is considered a milestone in world historyĭa Gama’s trip to India which established a maritime route from Europe to Asia had far reaching consequences. The route followed in Vasco da Gama’s first voyage (1497–1499) Vasco da Gama realized that quest to become the first European to link Europe and Asia by a maritime route. One of the principal aims of the explorers of the period was to find an ocean route between Western Europe and Asia.
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The Age of Discovery was a period of global exploration that started in the early 15th century and was primarily initiated by Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal. The fleet left from Lisbon on Jand was planned to go around the African continent to reach India.#1 Vasco da Gama linked Europe and Asia through an ocean route for the first time However, a few years later, Portuguese ruler, King Manuel I sanctioned a voyage to India and appointed da Gama as the expedition’s leader.
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In 1492, when Christopher Columbus embarked upon the journey to reach to the coast of India, he inadvertently discovered the Americas. European nations looked for a direct route to India as it would establish the monopoly of the country over the spice trade. Earlier, most of the trade happened via land route or through Arab merchants who sold prized goods to Venetians who further traded with the European nations. Many western sailors and merchants tried their hands at discovering a sea route to India, the land famous for spices, wealth and other riches. He is often credited for discovering the sea route from western Europe to the East by way of the Cape of Good Hope. He became the first European explorer that reached India via sea. After two years he set sail from Lisbon, da Gama arrived on the Western sea coast of India at Kozhikode (Calicut), Kerala. On May 20, 1498, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama stepped foot in India.