emirates7 - D. Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer and nobleman renowned as the first European to reach India by sea.
His groundbreaking voyage to India via the Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) established the first ocean route connecting Europe and Asia, linking the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This journey marked a significant milestone in Portuguese maritime exploration and initiated a sea-based phase of globalization. Da Gama's discovery of the route to India paved the way for an era of global imperialism, allowing the Portuguese to a lasting colonial empire that stretched from Africa to Asia. By taking this ocean route, the Portuguese could avoid the contentious Mediterranean Sea and the treacherous Arabian Peninsula. The total distance traveled during this expedition made it the longest ocean voyage of its time.
Vasco da Gama was born in Sines, one of the few seaports along the Alentejo coast in southwestern Portugal. According to Portuguese historian Teixeira de Aragão, he was born in a house near the church of Nossa Senhora das Salas. While some sources suggest he was born around 1460, others propose 1469 as the year of his birth.
He died on December 24, 1524, at an estimated age of 55 to 65.
His groundbreaking voyage to India via the Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) established the first ocean route connecting Europe and Asia, linking the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This journey marked a significant milestone in Portuguese maritime exploration and initiated a sea-based phase of globalization. Da Gama's discovery of the route to India paved the way for an era of global imperialism, allowing the Portuguese to a lasting colonial empire that stretched from Africa to Asia. By taking this ocean route, the Portuguese could avoid the contentious Mediterranean Sea and the treacherous Arabian Peninsula. The total distance traveled during this expedition made it the longest ocean voyage of its time.
Vasco da Gama was born in Sines, one of the few seaports along the Alentejo coast in southwestern Portugal. According to Portuguese historian Teixeira de Aragão, he was born in a house near the church of Nossa Senhora das Salas. While some sources suggest he was born around 1460, others propose 1469 as the year of his birth.
He died on December 24, 1524, at an estimated age of 55 to 65.