Vasco da Gama is a Portuguese navigator, a traveler who lived during the Age of Discovery, and also the first European to visit India. The exact date of the traveler's birth is unknown, but biographers believe that it is 1460 or 1469. Vasco da Gama held many titles. Since he was the commander-in-chief of the expedition that discovered India, he was given the title of 6th Governor of Portuguese India and 2nd Viceroy of India. The great navigator was born in Sines in the family of a Portuguese knight. Vasco da Gama was discovered in 1492 when he returned a Portuguese caravel of gold stolen by French corsairs.
In 1497, the Portuguese government sent him in search of a sea route to India around Africa. He was appointed at the head of a flotilla of 4 ships. By that time, the Portuguese had already explored many of the coasts of Africa, and Columbus had already announced that he had found "India" in the west. The Portuguese government, on the other hand, sought to establish trade relations with India as quickly as possible. Initially, the ships of Vasco da Gama were carried by the current to the Columbus "India", that is, towards Brazil. However, the traveler was not interested. He returned to the planned route, thus becoming the true discoverer of the sea route from Western Europe to India. In 1498, da Gama's ships moored at the largest Arab-Swahili port in the Indian Ocean. Here Vasco da Gama hired an experienced Arab traveler, thanks to whom on May 20 of the same year they reached their goal, mooring in Calcutta. Returning to his homeland in 1499, this expedition brought the great navigator not only fame, but also a large monetary reward. During his life, Vasco da Gama visited India three times.
Due to his origin, Vasco da Gama managed to get a good education in various fields: he studied mathematics, navigation, astronomy, and English. And if all these skills are multiplied by the military naval rank, which he was awarded during his studies, then the image of that same legendary navigator who glorified his country is formed. After graduating and joining the Order of Santiago, young Vasco da Gama took part in several battles, where he managed to defend the honor and reputation of the Portuguese crown.
At that time, Portugal was away from the main trade routes and was heavily bled after the confrontation with Castile, so the search for routes to India became essentially a new national idea. After several not unsuccessful campaigns along the western coast of Africa at the beginning of the 15th century, Portugal secured part of the territories, but still could not move beyond the equator and temporarily curtailed its colonial activities. However, after 1470, sea expeditions resumed, and by 1482 Dion Kahn managed to discover new lands for Europeans south of the equator. Step by step, the Portuguese moved along the coast, but the then contemporaries still had doubts about the size of the African continent and the prospects for finding a trade route (it was believed that the continent continued all the way to the Arctic) until, in 1487, João II sent an overland expedition to India through Africa and did not receive confirmation that the sea route is more than likely. Around the same time, another Portuguese navigator and part-time royal scout Bartolomeu Dias discovered the Cape of Good Hope, circling the African continent - so the last doubts were dispelled.
Source: wikipedia.orgBut the big expedition was destined to take place only after the death of the king and a long preparation, which included a comprehensive study and analysis of previous campaigns. The rich experience gained in previous times made it possible to understand on which ships (ship design) such an enterprise is possible and what kind of people are needed for such a risky expedition - priests, clerks, translators, astronomers and even criminals who were planned to be used for especially dangerous tasks. The sailors of the flotilla were armed to the teeth, and the ships themselves had a rich arsenal of weapons, including everything you need: modern navigation equipment, heavy combat instruments, and a sufficient amount of provisions.
Route of Vasco da Gama
On June 8, 1497, an armada of four ships under the command of Vasco da Gama left Lisbon and reached Sierra Leone, the islands controlled by Portugal. Having replenished their supplies, the expeditionary force advanced to the southwest to avoid strong winds and undercurrents off the coast of equatorial Africa, deepening into the Atlantic. There is an opinion that Vasco, judging by the indications of navigation, together with his fleet almost sailed to the coast of Brazil. After four months in the open ocean, on November 4, the Portuguese reached the shores of an unknown land, which they called the bay of St. Helena. With great difficulty, rounding the Cape of Good Hope, the team lost not only some of the crew members, but also one cargo ship, which was badly damaged after prolonged storms. After that, the sailors anchored in the wide bay of the Shepherds' Harbor. The Portuguese almost immediately made contact with the local natives and took a peaceful position. Thanks to this, they were able to replenish their provisions and continue their journey unhindered in a northeasterly direction.
Source: wikipedia.org
In 1498, having successfully passed the Cape of Good Hope, the flotilla entered the explored territory of the trade routes of the Indian Ocean - that sphere of international trade where the interests of Europeans and local Arab sultans intersected. Vasco da Gama managed to get an audience with one of the prominent rich men of Mozambique with a trade proposal, but local merchants doubted the quality of Portuguese goods and did not agree to the deal, which greatly offended Vasco da Gama. In response, his ships fired cannons at the coastal villages of the southeastern coast, seized and robbed Arab merchant ships.
Further, the fair currents of the Indian Ocean safely carried da Gama's squadron to the final destination of the journey - the city of Calicut. At first everything went well and the local ruler received the weary travelers with all honors. However, they quickly fell out of favor due to the fact that Arab merchants, close to the local monarch, questioned the status of gifts from the Portuguese: considering them to be ordinary pirates, they were placed in custody. But luck was on Vasco's side and, thanks to the initiative of local merchants, the Portuguese quickly got free and even exchanged their cargo for spices. This seemed not enough to Vasco and he moved on to robberies. Having accidentally met a temporary ally in the warm waters of Goa in the person of the admiral - a Spanish Jew, he persuaded him to attack his own city. At night, approaching the city, they attacked the moored ships, robbed and slaughtered everyone who did not have time to escape.
“... If this situation continued for another two weeks, there would be no people left to control the ships. We have reached such a state that all the bonds of discipline have disappeared. We prayed to the patron saints of our ships. The captains consulted and decided, if the wind allowed, to return back to India ”(Vasco da Gama’s travel diary).
After Bartolomeu Dias discovered the route around Africa to the Indian Ocean (1488), the Portuguese found themselves one march away from the coveted land of spices. Confidence in this was reinforced by the evidence obtained through the studies of Perud Covilha and Afonso de Paiva of the existence of a maritime communication between East Africa and India (1490-1491). However, for some reason, the Portuguese were in no hurry to make this very throw.
A little earlier, in 1483, Christopher Columbus offered King Juan II of Portugal a different route to India - the western one, across the Atlantic. The reasons why the king nevertheless rejected the Genoese project can now only be guessed at. It is most likely that the Portuguese either preferred the “tit in hand” - the path to India around Africa that had already been groped for many years, or were better informed than Columbus and knew that it was not India at all beyond the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps Juan II was going to save Columbus with his project until better times, but he did not take into account one thing - the Genoese was not going to wait for the weather by the sea, fled from Portugal and offered his services to the Spaniards. The latter dragged on for a long time, but in 1492 they nevertheless equipped an expedition to the west.
The return of Columbus with the news that he had discovered the western route to India naturally worried the Portuguese: the rights granted to Portugal in 1452 by Pope Nicholas V to all the lands discovered to the south and east of Cape Bojador were called into question. The Spaniards declared the lands discovered by Columbus to be their own and refused to recognize the territorial rights of Portugal. Only the head of the Catholic Church could resolve this dispute. On May 3, 1493, Pope Alexander VI made a Solomonic decision: all the lands that the Portuguese discovered or will open east of the meridian passing 100 leagues (one league was approximately 3 miles or 4.828 km) west of the Cape Verde Islands belong to them, and the territories west of this line - the Spaniards. A year later, Spain and Portugal signed the so-called Treaty of Tordesillas, which was based on this decision.
Now it's time for action. Delaying an expedition to India became dangerous - God knows what else the Genoese Spaniard would discover across the Atlantic! And the expedition was organized - with the direct participation of Bartolomeu Dias. Who, if not he, who was the first to enter the Indian Ocean, had every right to lead the fateful campaign? However, the new Portuguese king Manuel I in 1497 gave this order not to him, but to the young nobleman Vasco da Gama - not so much a navigator as a military man and diplomat. Obviously, the king assumed that the main difficulties that awaited the expedition lay not in the field of navigation, but in the field of contacts with the rulers of the states of East Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
On July 8, 1497, a flotilla consisting of four ships with a crew of 168 people left Lisbon. The flagship of the San Gabriel was commanded by Vasco da Gama himself, the captain of the San Rafael was his brother Paulo, Nicolau Coelho led the Berriu, on the captain's bridge of the fourth, a small merchant ship, whose name has not been preserved, was Gonzalo Nunes. The route of the expedition along the Atlantic Ocean is of considerable interest and gives food for many assumptions. After passing the Cape Verde Islands, the ships turned west and described a large arc, almost touching South America, and then leaving east, to the bay of St. Helena on the African coast. Not the closest way, right? But the fastest - with such a trajectory, sailboats "mount" on passing ocean currents. It seems that the Portuguese were already well aware of the currents and winds of the western half of the South Atlantic. So, they could swim this route before. Perhaps, passing by them, they saw the land - South America and, moreover, landed there. But this is already from the realm of assumptions, not facts.
The people of Vasco da Gama spent 93 days in the ocean without setting foot on land - at that time a world record. On the shores of St. Helena Bay, sailors met dark-skinned (but lighter than the inhabitants of the mainland already familiar to the Portuguese) undersized people - the Bushmen. Peaceful trade exchange somehow imperceptibly turned into an armed conflict, and we had to weigh anchor. Having rounded the Cape of Good Hope and after it the southernmost point of Africa - the cape called Agulhas, since the compass needle (needle) lost declination near it, the ships entered Mosselbay Bay, and on December 16 they reached the final destination of Bartolomeu Dias' voyage - Rio do - Infante (now Great Fish). Meanwhile, scurvy began among the sailors. Now everyone knows that the surest remedy for the disease is vitamin C, which is abundant in any fruit, and then there were no cures for the disease.
At the end of January, three ships (the fourth ship, the smallest and dilapidated, had to be abandoned) entered the waters where Arab traders were in charge, exporting ivory, ambergris, gold and slaves from Africa. At the very beginning of March, the expedition reached Mozambique. Wanting to make the most favorable impression on the local Muslim ruler, Vasco da Gama introduced himself as an adherent of Islam. But either the sultan revealed the deceit, or he did not like the gifts presented by the navigator - the Portuguese had to retreat. In revenge, Vasco da Gama ordered the inhospitable city to be shot from cannons.
Mombasa was next. The local sheikh did not like the aliens right away - after all, they were Gentiles, but their ships liked them. He tried to take possession of them, and destroy the team. The Portuguese managed to put the attackers to flight. Several times, Arab merchant ships attacked the Portuguese at sea, but, having no guns, were doomed to failure. Vasco da Gama captured Arab ships, and brutally tortured and drowned the prisoners.
In mid-April, the ships arrived in Malindi, where the Portuguese were finally welcomed. The explanation is simple: the rulers of Malindi and Mombasa were sworn enemies. The crew got a few days to rest, the ruler provided the Portuguese with provisions and, most importantly, gave them an experienced Arab pilot to lead the expedition to India. According to some reports, it was the legendary Ahmed ibn Majid. Other historians deny this.
On May 20, the pilot led the flotilla to the Malabar coast, to Calicut (modern Kozhikode), the famous transit center for trade in spices, precious stones and pearls. Everything went well at first. The ruler of Calicut (samutiri) was hospitable, the Portuguese received permission to trade. They managed to acquire spices, precious stones, fabrics. But soon trouble began. Portuguese goods were not in demand, largely due to the intrigues of Muslim merchants, who were not accustomed to competition and, moreover, had heard about the numerous skirmishes between the Portuguese and Arab merchant ships. The attitude of the Samoothiri towards the Portuguese also began to change. He did not allow them to establish a trading post in Calicut, and once even took Vasco da Gama into custody. Staying here longer has become not only pointless, but also dangerous.
Shortly before the departure of Vasco da Gama, he wrote a letter to the Samutiri, in which he reminded him of the promise to send ambassadors to Portugal, and also asked for gifts for his king - several bags of spices. In response, the Samoothiri demanded payment of customs duties and ordered the arrest of Portuguese goods and people. Then Vasco da Gama, taking advantage of the fact that noble people of Calicut were constantly visiting his ships, out of curiosity, took several of them hostage. Samoothiri was forced to return the detained sailors and part of the goods, while the Portuguese sent half of the hostages ashore, and Vasco da Gama decided to take the rest with him. He left the goods as a gift to the Samoothiri. At the end of August, the ships set off. If the journey from Malindi to Calicut took the Portuguese 23 days, then they had to get back more than four months. And the reason for this is the monsoons, directed from the Indian Ocean towards South Asia in the summer. Now, if the Portuguese had waited for winter, the monsoon, which had changed its direction to the opposite, would have quickly driven them to the shores of East Africa. And so - a long exhausting swim, terrible heat, scurvy. From time to time had to fight off Arab pirates. In turn, the Portuguese themselves captured several merchant ships. Only on January 2, 1499, the sailors approached Mogadishu, but did not stop, but only bombarded the city with bombards. Already on January 7, the expedition arrived in Malindi, where in five days, thanks to good food, the sailors got stronger - those who survived: by this time the crew had thinned by half.
In March, two ships (one ship had to be burned - there was no one to lead it anyway) rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and on April 16, with a fair wind, they rushed to the Cape Verde Islands. Vasco da Gama sent a ship ahead, which in July brought news of the success of the expedition to Lisbon, while he himself remained with his dying brother. He returned to his homeland only on September 18, 1499.
A solemn meeting awaited the traveler, he received the highest noble title and a life annuity, and a little later he was appointed "Admiral of the Indian Seas." The spices and precious stones brought by him more than paid off the expenses of the expedition. But the main thing is different. Already in 1500-1501. The Portuguese began trading with India and established strongholds there. Having established themselves on the Malabar coast, they began to expand to the east and west, drove out the Arab merchants and established their dominance in Indian sea waters for a whole century. In 1511, they took control of Malacca, a real kingdom of spices. Conducted by Vasco da Gama, reconnaissance in battle on the East African coast allowed the Portuguese to organize forts, transshipment bases, fresh water and provisions supply points here.
NUMBERS AND FACTS
Main character: Vasco da Gama, Portuguese
Other actors: Kings João II of Portugal and Manuel I; Alexander VI, Pope; Bartolomeu Dias; Captains Paulo da Gama, Nicolau Coelho, Gonzalo Nunes
Action time: July 8, 1497 - September 18, 1499
Itinerary: From Portugal around Africa to India
Goal: Reach India by sea and establish trade relations
Meaning: The arrival of the first ships from Europe in India, the assertion of Portuguese dominance in Indian sea waters and on the East African coast
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Vasco da Gama (born September 3, 1469 - death December 23, 1524), Portuguese navigator, first laid a route from Lisbon to India and back. Like most of his colleagues, he was engaged in piracy. Count Vidigueira (since 1519), Governor of Portuguese India, Viceroy of India (since 1524).
Origin
The famous Vasco da Gama, who radically changed the political and economic situation in Europe and Asia with his sea voyages, was born in 1469 in the small seaside town of Sines in the southernmost Portuguese province of Alemtejo. The Gama clan could not boast of either wealth or nobility, but it was old enough to serve the kings of Portugal from generation to generation. Vasco's ancestors included valiant warriors and even a royal standard-bearer. His father, Ishtevan da Gama, was the alcaidi (mayor) of Sines. And her mother, Isabella Sudre, had English earls among her ancestors. Vasco was their third son, he had two older brothers and a sister.
Childhood and youth
Despite the noble origin, the children of Gam closely communicated with the common people. The comrades of their games were the sons of fishermen and sailors. Vasco and his brothers learned early to swim, row, and knew how to handle fishing nets and sails. But in Sines it was impossible to get a good education, so Vasco was sent to study in Evora, the favorite residence of the king. Here he studied mathematics and the intricacies of navigation.
We know that in his youth the future discoverer of the sea route to India took part in the siege of the Moroccan city of Tangier. There is an assumption that he made several sea expeditions along the African coast. Perhaps this is what made the royal court pay attention to him. Maybe there were other reasons. Be that as it may, Vasco was in the service of Juan II and was able to quickly advance.
According to the chronicle, even in his youth, the young man was distinguished by a firm, resolute character, a fair amount of temper and imperious habits.
Before traveling to India
The Portuguese and Spaniards are peoples related in language and culture. Portugal constantly competed with Spain in everything related to the discovery and development of new lands and sea routes. When at one time King Juan II refused, who offered to organize an expedition to search for a western route to Asia, he apparently could not imagine that this persistent Genoese could achieve his goal under the flag of the Spanish kings. But now the "Western India" is open, routes have been laid to its shores, and Spanish caravels systematically ply between Europe and the new lands. The heirs of Juan II realized that they should hurry to consolidate their rights to East India. And already in 1497 they equipped an expedition to explore the sea route from Portugal to India - around Africa.
First trip to India (1497-1499)
The head of the expedition, at the choice of King Manuel I, was Vasco da Gama (the Portuguese pronounce “Vashka”), a young courtier of noble origin, who has not yet proven himself by anything other than the dashing capture of a caravan of French merchant ships. And although the king was offered the candidacy of such a famous navigator as Bartolomeu Dias, who in 1488 was the first to circumnavigate Africa from the south, passing the Cape of Good Hope he discovered, he gave preference to a young aristocrat with pirate inclinations. To the proposal of Manuel I to lead the expedition, Vasco da Gama replied: “I, sovereign, are your servant and will fulfill any order, even if it costs me my life.” Such assurances at that time were by no means given for the “red word” ...
Departure of Vasco da Gama to India
Vasco da Gama's flotilla consisted of four ships. These were two 150-ton ships - the flagship "San Gabriel" (captain Goncalo Aleares, an experienced sailor) and "San Rafael" (captain Paulo da Gama, brother of the admiral), as well as a light 70-ton caravel "Berriu" (Captain Nicolau Cuelho) and a transport ship with supplies. In total, under the command of Admiral da Gama there were 168 people, including a dozen criminals specially released from prisons - they could be needed to carry out the most dangerous assignments. The chief navigator was the experienced sailor Pedro Alenquer, who had sailed with Bartolomeu Dias ten years earlier.
1497, July 8 - the flotilla left the harbor of Lisbon. Passing without incident to Sierra Leone, Admiral da Gama, reasonably avoiding contrary winds and currents off the coast of Equatorial and South Africa, headed southwest, and turned southeast after the equator. These maneuvers took about 4 months, and only on November 1, the Portuguese saw land in the east, and after 3 days they entered a wide bay, which they called St. Helena.
Having landed on the shore, the Portuguese sailors saw the Bushmen for the first time. This is a group of peoples, which is the oldest population of South and East Africa. The Bushmen are very different from most Negro tribes on the African continent - they are short, their skin color is rather swarthy than black, and there is some resemblance to the Mongoloids in their faces. These inhabitants of the bush bushes (hence the European name "Bushmen" - "people of the bush") have amazing abilities. They can stay in the desert for a long time without water supplies, as they extract it in ways unknown to other peoples.
Travelers tried to establish a “cultural exchange” with the Bushmen, offering them beads, bells and other trinkets, but the Bushmen turned out to be “insolvent” - they did not even have the most primitive clothes, and the Portuguese, who were armed with crossbows, did not need their primitive bows and arrows and firearms. In addition, because of the insult inflicted on the Bushman by some boorish sailor, a conflict arose, as a result of which several sailors were wounded by stones and arrows. How many "bush people" the Europeans hit with crossbows remained unknown. And because no signs of gold and pearls were noticed among the Bushmen, the flotilla raised anchors and went further south.
Having rounded the southern tip of Africa, the Portuguese ships, moving to the northeast, at the end of December 1497 approached a high coast, to which da Gama gave the name Natal (“Christmas”). 1498, January 11 - the sailors landed on the shore, where they saw a lot of people who were very different from the African savages they knew. Among the sailors there was a translator from the Bantu language, and contact between two different civilizations was established. The Negroes met the Portuguese sailors very friendly. The land, which Vasco da Gama called "the country of good people", was inhabited by peasants and artisans. People here cultivated the land and mined ore, from which they smelted iron and non-ferrous metals, made iron knives and daggers, arrowheads and spearheads, copper bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry.
Moving further north, on January 25, the ships entered a wide bay, where several rivers flowed. Communicating with the locals, who received the Portuguese well, and noticing the presence of objects of clearly Indian origin, the admiral concluded that the flotilla was approaching India. I happened to stay there - the ships needed repairs, and people, many of whom had scurvy, needed treatment and rest. The Portuguese for a whole month stood at the mouth of the Kwakwa River, which turned out to be the northern arm of the Zambezi Delta.
Mozambique and Mombasa
Vasco da Gama in India
In the end, the flotilla, completely ready for sailing, headed northeast and on March 2 reached the island of Mozambique. Here the lands of the "wild" tribes ended and the rich world began, which was controlled by the Arab Muslims. Until the arrival of the Portuguese, all trade in the Indian Ocean was concentrated in their hands. To communicate with the Arabs, remarkable diplomatic skills were needed, which Gama, alas, did not possess. It was from that moment that his ardor, lack of tact and prudence, senseless cruelty began to appear.
At first, the sheikh and the people of Mozambique were tolerant of the Portuguese sailors. They mistook them for Muslims, but were dissatisfied with the gifts that Vasco tried to give to the sheikh who arrived on the ship. It was rubbish that no one needed, and the eastern rulers were accustomed to a different attitude. It soon became known that people from ships unusual for Arabs were Christians. Tensions mounted, and on March 11 the Portuguese were attacked. The attack was repelled, but the team, which had been significantly reduced after the scurvy epidemic, did not have the strength for a decisive battle. I had to hastily leave the inhospitable shore.
On April 7, the Portuguese arrived in Mombasa, but soon, without entering the harbor, they were forced to leave it too, having learned about the intention of the Mombasa king to seize ships and take the crew prisoner (information was obtained from hostages who were tortured with boiling oil). Eight miles from the harbor, the enraged Portuguese captured a barge loaded with gold, silver and provisions.
Malindi
On April 14, the fleet approached Malinda, a wealthy Muslim city. The local sheikh was at enmity with the ruler of Mozambique and was glad to make an alliance with Gama. In response to signs of attention from the ruler, the Portuguese sent him a truly “royal gift”: a monastic cassock, two strings of corals, three hats, basins for washing hands, bells and two pieces of cheap striped cloth. In another situation, the sheikh, perhaps, would not have tolerated such disrespect, but now he was afraid of uninvited guests and agreed to give a skilled pilot, who was needed for further sailing. They became Ahmed ibn Majida, who bore the Arabic-Sanskrit nickname Malemo Kana - "leading by the stars." With his help, in mid-May 1498, the expedition reached the Malabar coast. The ships anchored near the largest Indian city of Calicut (Kozhikode). The long-awaited sea route to India was explored.
Calicut (India)
The local ruler, Samorin, who was interested in the development of trade with any countries, including Christian ones, received the envoy of Gama cordially. But Gama's further behavior heated up the situation.
On May 28, the commander of the Portuguese, accompanied by 30 people, went on a date with Samorin. The Portuguese were struck by the luxurious furnishings of the palace, the expensive clothes of the king and courtiers. Nevertheless, Vasco, not feeling the difference between the tribal leaders of Africa and the Samorin, was about to present him miserable gifts: 12 pieces of the same striped coarse fabric, several caps and hats, 4 threads of coral, basins for washing hands, a box of sugar, two each barrel of butter and honey.
Seeing this, one of the royal dignitaries laughed contemptuously and declared that even poor merchants presented more expensive gifts to the Samorin. The king must be presented with gold, but he simply will not accept such objects. The incident that happened quickly became known both in the palace and in the city. This was immediately taken advantage of by Muslim merchants, who saw the Portuguese as dangerous competitors. They set the already offended Samorin against the guests, convincing him that cruel, bloody pirates had arrived in Calicut, fortunately, they had already heard rumors about the events in Mozambique and the capture of an Arab ship.
The next day, the ruler kept the delegation in the waiting room for several hours, and when they met, he behaved coldly. As a result, Gama failed to obtain permission to establish a Portuguese trading post here. With difficulty, the Portuguese were able to exchange goods for spices. And on October 5, sailors, having taken six hostages to show them to their king, left Indian waters.
Homecoming
Opening of the sea route to India
By the already familiar route, by September 1499, they were able to reach their native port, having lost two ships and 105 out of 160 crew members. Among the dead was the only person dearly loved by Vasco, his brother Paulo. He died of consumption. The hero of the Indian voyage took this loss extremely hard. Some of the historians report that for 9 days he grieved all alone and did not want to see anyone.
Unfortunately, many of the documents covering the events after Gama's arrival in Portugal perished during the terrible Lisbon earthquake of 1755. However, there can be no doubt that both the king and fellow citizens met travelers with great honor and rejoicing. In honor of the epoch-making event, a gold coin was minted, called the "Portuguese", worth 10 crusades.
Vasco da Gama became a national hero overnight, and deservedly so. It was thanks to his will, energy and assertiveness that the expedition was able to complete all the tasks assigned to it and return back. The team loved, but also terrified of the frantic and cruel leader. His furrowed brows threw the sailors into a panic, whose actions he was unhappy with. But these were desperate people who spent their whole lives on sea voyages. The king showered the hero of the Indian campaign with awards. The city of Sines was transferred to his possession, and benefits were granted for trade with India. He and his descendants were given the title of don and a pension. He became officially known as "Admiral of the Indian Ocean". However, the traveler himself, being greedy and greedy, remained dissatisfied.
Only a few facts are known about the period of Gama's life between the first and second trips. For example, the fact that at this time he married Donna Catarina di Ataidi. From this marriage he had six sons - Francisco, Ishtevan, Pedro, Paulo, Krishtovan, Alvarou - as well as a daughter, Isabella.
Second voyage to India (1502-1503)
The following year, the expedition of Pedro Alvaris Cabral set off along the same path. Several years passed, and King Manuel, not satisfied with the Indian expeditions of Cabral and João da Nova, decided to send a large fleet to India. Vasco da Gama was assigned to command them.
The fleet consisted of 10 ships. Another 10, part of 2 auxiliary fleets, was commanded by close relatives of the admiral. This time the expedition was completely different. Probably, the pirate experience near Mombasa was not in vain. By order of the king, it was necessary to take goods by force if they could not be obtained peacefully. Spices had to be paid for in gold and silver, which Portugal, like any other European country, did not have in those days in sufficient quantities for this. This was the beginning of the Portuguese colonial expansion.
During a pirate raid, the flotilla forced the rulers of Mozambique and Kilwa to pay tribute, burned and plundered merchant ships, destroyed the Arab fleet and the city of Calicut, forced the cities of the western Indian coast to recognize the supreme power of the Portuguese and pay tribute.
Among the particularly bloody atrocities of Gama is the capture of a Calicut ship, which had 380 passengers. Gama gave the order to lock them all in the hold and burned the ship along with the captives. When the ship caught fire, the unfortunate people were able to escape onto the deck. Men knocked down the flames with axes, and women with children in their arms begged to spare the kids and offered their gold jewelry. The admiral was unshakable. He ordered the ship to be boarded and set on fire again. Then the flagship, like a kite, followed the dying ship, not allowing anyone to escape, and Gama, with a stone face, watched the heartbreaking scenes taking place on board the victim ship.
No less horrifying were the events that unfolded when the fleet approached Calicut. Here, many fishing boats sailed up to the ships. The admiral ordered to seize about 30 fishermen. They were immediately hung on rails. The bodies were removed at night. They cut off the arms, legs and heads of the corpses, threw them into the boat, and threw the bodies overboard. Soon they were washed ashore. The terrible contents of the boat were dumped on the shore, and a note in Arabic was attached to the heap. It was written that an even more terrible fate would befall the entire city if it resisted. The admiral performed such actions not in a fit of anger, but with deliberate and cold cruelty.
The expedition brought huge profits. Vasco da Gama received the title of Count of Vidigueira, and in 1524 he was appointed Viceroy of India.
Third expedition to India and death (1524)
The new governor went to India at the head of a large squadron of 16 ships. In the completely conquered Cochin, Vasco da Gama founded the administrative center. But he did not have time to show his administrative abilities, because in the same year, on December 24, he died in Cochin. His body was taken to Portugal and buried with honor in Vidigueira.
Portugal highly appreciated the deeds of Vasco da Gama. 50 years after his death, the poet Luis de Camões sang them in the epic poem The Louisiades. In the literature of the 16th century, he is presented as a bold leader and fearless administrator. In the opinion of modern man, as historian J. Baker writes, “he was cruel and stubborn. He did not hesitate to douse the interrogated hostages with boiling oil; did not hesitate to throw three hundred dead and dying people with their wives and children into the open sea to the mercy of the elements; on his orders, disobedient Portuguese women were driven with rods through the streets of one of the Indian cities.
At the same time, he fraternally shared all the difficulties and hardships with the crew, and once during an earthquake, by a courageous appeal to his people, he prevented panic. If, as viceroy, he proved to be cruel, he struck both the Indians and the Portuguese by categorically refusing to accept any gifts and jealously making sure that he was respected.
The results of the main discovery of Vasco da Gama were enormous - both from a scientific, and from a political and economic point of view. Thanks to him, the outlines of Africa became finally known. The Indian Ocean, previously considered an inland sea, was transferred to the category of oceans.
Spices now began to enter Europe without intermediaries. The centuries-old dominance of the Arabs in trade in the Middle East ended. Venice and Genoa, which had flourished until that time, fell into decline. The transformation of Portugal into one of the main colonial powers of the 16th century began.
It was they who were the first among Europeans to set foot on this continent in the 15th century. During the period of the Great Discoveries, Vasco Da Gama became especially famous, who was able to go around Africa with his expedition.
This famous Portuguese was of noble origin, was a knight, in connection with this, he could only become a naval officer. In addition, he studied mathematics, astronomy and navigation, these sciences helped him in his activities.
Since Vasco Da Gama has established himself as a determined and purposeful young officer, able to carry out tasks in an organized and efficient manner, King Manuel 1 entrusted him with the obligation to open the way to distant India, all conditions were created for this.
Traveling Vasco da Gama in Africa
The need for a sea route for Portugal was essential, since this country in the west of Europe did not have access to the main trade routes. This state of affairs meant that the Portuguese had to pay very dearly for foreign goods, such as Indian spices, while exports accounted for a very small share. All this was oppressed by the post-war economic state of the country.
However, Portugal had a certain advantage - a geographical position, thanks to which it was possible to go to West Africa and beyond. Therefore, the idea arose to find their own way to a country rich in spices.
From the beginning of the 15th century, Portuguese navigators explored the western coast of the "black continent", without getting into they moved south along the water. It is possible to note such names that were sent by sea or land through African territory to India:
- Henry the Navigator;
- Diogo Cannes;
- Peru da Covilha;
- Afonso de Paiva;
- Bartolomeu Dias.
After making sure that it was possible to bypass Africa, Manuel 1 ordered the preparation of an expedition that would nevertheless overcome the entire path. Da Gama was appointed to lead it.
The expedition was to be carried out on four ships built the day before:
- San Gabriel - flagship, large three-masted nao;
- San Rafael - the same ship, operated by Paulo, Da Gama's brother;
- Berriu - light caravel;
- Nameless - transporting all sorts of supplies.
Naturally, the king provided the sailors with the most modern instruments, and they could also use the best maps. Peru Alenker, who became the chief navigator, had previously been near the Cape of Good Hope on the expedition of Bartolomeu Dias.
In total, more than a hundred people were supposed to go on this long journey, among them were all kinds of specialists who helped on the road and establish contacts with the peoples meeting.
The journey of Vasco Da Gama in Africa began from Lisbon, from where the armada left on July 8, 1497. The path to the south along was already sufficiently studied, so the expedition followed a well-worn path.
On November 4, the ships stopped in a certain bay, to which they also gave the name of St. Helena. It was necessary for repairs. However, the team is not our common language with the locals, which led to an armed clash and the wounding of the leader himself (Vasco was shot in the leg with an arrow).
The expedition approached the Cape of Good Hope in November, only it took a long time to bypass it due to the fact that there was a storm. This complexity was followed by renovations carried out at Mossel Bay. Since the last ship, which was a warehouse, was badly damaged, it was burned, moving the cargo and crew to the remaining ships.
On these lands, travelers, communicating with the natives, were able to purchase the necessary food. They also exchanged the goods they took for local jewelry made by locals from ivory.
Further, the flotilla kept its way to the northeast, skirting Africa, it was to those lands that Dias had previously reached. Then the ships sailed along the still unknown to them, however, the local peoples were not surprised by the Europeans, they knew about them from Arab merchants.
Travelers stayed in Mozambique, but met with misunderstanding from the administrative authorities. The Arabs understood that the Portuguese were potential competitors, so they tried their best to harm the members of the expedition. Da Gama accepted the challenge and bombarded the coastal city with bombards before leaving.
In February, sailors reached Mombasa, and then - to Malindi. There Europeans first crossed paths with Indian merchants. With the help of the found pilot, the expedition of Vasco Da Gama reached the long-awaited coast of India, which happened in 1498, on May 20.
However, the Portuguese failed to establish contacts with local residents and the government, as Muslim merchants interfered and slandered them in different ways.
Having fired at the coast, Vasco Da Gama's expedition went home, because they had already completed the task and what they were able to trade. The way back was also interesting and not easy:
- Mogadishu - January 2, 1499;
- Malindi - January 7;
- Mombasa - January 13 (one of the ships was burned);
- Zanzibar - January 28;
- Sao Jorge Island on February 1;
- Cape of Good Hope - March 20;
- Cape Verde Islands - April 16;
- On July 10, one of the ships sailed to Portugal to announce the success of the expedition;
- Vasco da Gama reached Lisbon by September 1499.