#PICTURES OF VASCO DA GAMA DOWNLOAD#

The four ships were the SГЈo Gabriel, SГЈo Rafael, Berrio and an unnamed storage ship. On 8 July 1497, da Gama set sail with a fleet of four ships and a crew of 170 men from Lisbon.

The king wanted an explorer to investigate the new African coastline and find a way to India and da Gama was the man for the job.

Vasco da Gama was now in his 20s and captain Bartolomeu Dias had returned from going around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488.

John challenged his captains to find a sea route. While expanding trade with Africa, he wanted to start trading profitable spices from Asia, but this was mostly done by land and dominated by Venice.

He decided that royal commerce and trade with Africa was the way to do that.

When John became king, he wanted to make the crown wealthy so that it was less dependent on the nobility for income.

In 1474, Prince John II asked his father, the king, to allow him to take over the business of African exploration.

In the 15th century, Prince Henry the Navigator had already explored the coastline of West Africa in search of gold, ivory, slaves and other riches.

Portugal had a long history of exploration before da Gama.

John was very fond of the Order of Santiago and da GamaвЂ™s career benefited from this attention.

The master of Santiago was Prince John who would go on to be King John II of Portugal in 1481.

Around 1480, da Gama followed in his fatherвЂ™s footsteps and joined the Order of Santiago.

Little is known of da GamaвЂ™s early life.

VascoвЂ™s mother was JoГЈo SodrГ© and came from a well-connected family. He also became the civil governor of Sine around the time of VascoвЂ™s birth.

Da GamaвЂ™s father, EstГЄvГЈo da Gama, was a knight and had a successful military career.

He was the third of five sons and had one sister.

Vasco da Gama was born in southwest Portugal in a seaport town called Sine.

Key Facts & Information VASCO DA GAMAвЂ™S BACKGROUND

#PICTURES OF VASCO DA GAMA DOWNLOAD#

See the fact file below for more information on the Vasco da Gama or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Vasco da Gama worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. He is credited with linking Europe and Asia by an ocean route that connected the Atlantic and Indian Oceans by going around the southern tip of Africa known as the Cape of Good Hope. 1460s вЂ“ 1524) was a Portuguese explorer and became the first European sailor to reach India by sea.

Download the Vasco da Gama Facts & Worksheets.

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