The life years of Vasco da Gama. Short biography of Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama- the famous navigator from Portugal, who is directly related to the era of the great geographical discoveries. During his life, he managed to accomplish a lot that allowed him to remain in the annals of history. Many people want to know what Vasco da Gama discovered.

In his native Portuguese language, the name of this navigator sounds like Vasco da Gama. He lived, according to various sources, from 1460 or 1469, and died almost at the very end of 1524. During this time, he sailed to India more than once, thanks to which he gained his fame.

Key biography facts

Vasco's origin was, to some extent, noble. He is the third of the five sons of the knight Estevan de Gam. In addition to himself, his brother, Paulo de Gama, also took part in the famous voyages to India.

Although this surname was not too noble, it still had weight, since some of the ancestors of this family served King Afonso the third, and also showed themselves well in battles with the Moors. It was thanks to these battles that one of the ancestors received the title of knight.

Despite the fact that Vasco da Gama was born in the city of Sines, researchers believe that he received his education in the rather large city of Evora, which is located near Lisbon. It is also believed that one of his teachers was the famous astronomer, the first person to construct an astrolabe from metal, Abraham Ben Shmuel Zakuto.

Since his youth, Vasco turned his gaze to the sea - he participated in battles, captured French ships by order of the king. It was thanks to these events that the world first heard about the existence of the future famous navigator.

In those days, many people tried to find a sea route to India. The fact is that Portugal did not have convenient routes that would allow it to trade with other countries. Export problems and some other aspects made finding the way the real challenge of the century. This allows us to understand what Vasco da Gama discovered.

What did Vasco da Gama discover?

The main reason why the name Vasco da Gama is known to almost everyone even after so many years is that he managed to find a sea route to India... Of course, at first, people tried to find a route on land - many bright personalities were sent by the king to go around Africa.

By 1487, Peru da Coviglianu managed to accomplish what was required of him. He even managed to report this to Portugal. However, around the same period, the beloved son of the king, who was supposed to inherit the throne, died. Deep grief did not give Juan the second opportunity to tackle the land route tightly. Fortunately, this allowed Vasco da Gama to act.

By the time the king stopped paying attention to almost everything, much had already been done to prepare for the sea expedition. Bartolomeu Dias, who knew the route around Africa, on the orders of João gave the team all the information about what kind of vessel is required to sail in such waters. As a result, the Vasco da Gama expedition had four ships at its disposal:

• San Gabriel,
• San Rafael, on which was the navigator's brother, Paul,
• Berriou,
• Supply ship.

In addition to water and provisions, a fairly large number of weapons were loaded onto the ships, including blades, pikes, crossbows and halberds. In addition, part of the crew had protective leather bibs, and the higher ranks wore metal cuirasses. Falconets and cannons were installed on the ships.

What did Vasco da Gama do on his journey?

The date of the beginning of the famous sea expedition to India is considered eighth July 1497... The ships solemnly left Lisbon and began their long voyage. On the 4th of November the ships reached the bay, which Vasco named after Saint Helena. Here he was wounded by local residents with an arrow in the leg.

By the time the expedition rounded the Cape of Good Hope, the ship carrying supplies had fallen into disrepair, and a significant part of the crew had died of scurvy. This ship was burned, and provisions were distributed among the remaining three.

After that, Vasco da Gama visited Mozambique and Mombasa, where he had a conflict with the local sultan, and then got to Malindi, where he managed to get himself a local new pilot. Thanks to him and the associated monsoons, the ships were brought to the shores of India. May 20, 1498- the day when the expedition reached the desired lands.

Results of the maiden voyage

So, what and when did Vasco da Gama discover? Thanks to his expedition, by the middle of 1498, he discovered a sea route to India. However, the results of this venture turned out to be far from as rosy as the navigator would have liked.

Initially, the route was looked for in order to start international trade, but everything that Vasco brought to Indian lands I didn’t like it either by the zamorirnu or by ordinary locals... These goods were not sold, and duties and payments led to disputes with the Portuguese. As a result, the frustrated navigator was forced to start his return journey.

This period was especially difficult for the expedition. Many troubles and hardships fell on Vasco da Gama and his crew. Ultimately, only two ships and a very small number of people managed to return. However, this did not prevent the navigator from receiving first the title of Don, and then the title of Admiral of the Indian Ocean.

Various events took place in Vasco's life after the expedition. He quarreled with the knights of his own order and joined the rival, the Order of Christ. He then found himself a wife, Catarina di Ataidi, who was Alvor's daughter, part of the famous Almeida family.

Further voyages

After a relatively successful return to Vasco da Gama's homelands, voyages to India have become almost annual. They had both positive and negative results, but, in the end, the famous navigator himself made several more expeditions to an exotic country.

The second voyage is determined 1502-1503 years, and the third took place much later. This was due to the political situation in Portugal. When Vasco da Gama was already fifty-four years old, Juan the third decided to give him the title of Viceroy. However, in 1524, the third voyage to India began, in which Gama's sons, Eshtevan and Paul, also took part.

When the navigator arrived at the scene, he closely tackled the issue of abuse in the local administration, but did not manage to achieve any significant results, since On December 24 of the same year, he died of malaria that struck him.... Subsequently, the body was taken back to its home country and buried in the Lisbon monastery near Santa Maria de Belém.

Equipment of the Gama expedition and the passage to South Africa

After the Spanish expeditions of Columbus discovered “Western India”, the Portuguese had to hurry to secure their “rights” to Eastern India. In 1497 a squadron was equipped for reconnaissance of the sea route from Portugal - around Africa - to India. Suspicious Portuguese kings were wary of the illustrious seafarers. Therefore, the head of the new expedition was not Bartolomeu Dias, but a young courtier of noble birth who had not shown himself in any way before Vasco (Vasco) da Gama, who, for unknown reasons, was chosen by the king Manuela I... At the disposal of Gama, he provided three ships: two heavy ships, 100-120 tons (i.e. 200-240 metric tons) each, - "San Gabriel", on which Vasco raised the admiral's flag (captain Gonçalo Alvarish, an experienced sailor), and "San Rafael", whose captain was appointed at the request of Vasco by his older brother Paulo da gama, which also did not show itself in anything before, and the light high-speed vessel "Berriu" in 50 tons (captain Nicolau Cuellu). In addition, the flotilla was accompanied by a supply ship. The chief navigator was an outstanding sailor Peru Alenquer, who sailed earlier in the same position with B. Dias. The crew of all ships reached 140-170 people, this included 10-12 criminals: Gama begged them from the king in order to use them for dangerous assignments.

Portrait of Vasco da Gama at the age of 64. Museum of Ancient Arts, Lisbon

On July 8, 1497, the flotilla left Lisbon and probably went as far as Sierra Leone. From there, Gama, on the advice of experienced sailors, in order to avoid the opposing winds and currents off the coast of Equatorial and South Africa, moved to the southwest, and turned to the southeast beyond the equator. There is no more accurate data on the route of Gama in the Atlantic, and the assumptions that he approached the coast of Brazil are based on the routes of later navigators, starting from Cabral. After almost four months of sailing, on November 1, the Portuguese spotted land in the east, and three days later entered a wide bay, which was named St. Helena (St. Helina, 32 ° 40 "S. Lat.), And opened the mouth of the Santiago River ( Now Great Berg.) Having landed on the shore, they saw two almost naked, short men (bushmen) with skin "the color of dry leaves" smoking from the nests of wild bees. The next day, a dozen and a half Bushmen came, with whom Gama did the same, two days later, about fifty. the bushmen were shown gold, pearls and spices, they did not show any interest in them and it was not evident from their gestures that they had such things. Portuguese were wounded by a stone pits and arrows. Gama also used crossbows against the "enemies". It is not known how many natives were killed and wounded during this. Having rounded the southern tip of Africa, the Portuguese anchored in the "Shepherds' Harbor" where Bartolomeu Dias killed the Hottentot. This time the sailors behaved peacefully, opened a "silent bargaining" and received a bull and ivory bracelets from the shepherds for red hats and bells.

Sailing along the coast of East Africa

By the end of December 1497 for the religious holiday of Christmas, the Portuguese ships sailing to the northeast were at approximately 31 ° S. NS. against the high bank, which Gama named Natal ("Christmas"). On January 11, 1498, the flotilla stopped at the mouth of a river. When the sailors disembarked, a crowd of people approached them, sharply different from those whom they met on the coast of Africa. A sailor who used to live in the country of Congo and spoke the local Bantu language, spoke to those who approached, and they understood him (all languages ​​of the Bantu family are similar). The country was densely populated by farmers who processed iron and non-ferrous metals: sailors saw iron tips on arrows and spears, daggers, copper bracelets and other adornments. They greeted the Portuguese very friendly, and Gama called this land "the country of good people."

Ships of Vasco da Gama's squadron. Gordon Miller

Moving northward, on January 25, the ships entered the estuary at 18 ° S. sh., into which several rivers flowed. The inhabitants here, too, received the foreigners well. Two chiefs appeared on the shore, wearing silk headdresses. They imposed printed fabrics with patterns on the sailors, and the African accompanying them said that he was an alien and had already seen ships similar to the Portuguese. His story and the availability of goods, undoubtedly of Asian origin, convinced Gama that he was approaching India. He called the estuary "the river of good omens" and placed padran on the bank - a stone heraldic post with inscriptions, which had been erected since the 80s. XV century the Portuguese on the African coast at the most important points. From the west, the Kwakwa, the northern branch of the Zambezi delta, flows into the estuary. In this regard, it is usually not entirely correct to say that Gama discovered the mouth of the Zambezi, and they transfer the name that he gave to the estuary to the lower reaches of the river. For a month the Portuguese stood at the mouth of the Kwakwa, repairing ships. They suffered from scurvy, and the mortality rate was great. On February 24, the flotilla left the estuary. Keeping away from the coast, bordered by a chain of islets, and stopping at night so as not to run aground, in five days she reached at 15 ° S. NS. port of Mozambique. Arab single-masted ships (dhows) visited the port annually and took out from there mainly slaves, gold, ivory and amber. Through the local sheikh (ruler), Gama hired two pilots in Mozambique. But Arab traders guessed dangerous competitors in the newcomers, and friendly relations soon gave way to hostile ones. Water, for example, could be taken only after the "enemy" was scattered by cannon shots, and when some of the residents fled, the Portuguese captured several boats with their property and, by order of Gama, divided it among themselves as war booty.

Way of Vasco da Gama, 1497-1499

On April 1, the flotilla left Mozambique to the north. Not trusting the Arab pilots, Gama seized a small sailing ship off the coast and tortured the old man, his master, in order to obtain information necessary for further sailing. A week later, the flotilla approached the port city of Mombasa (4 ° S lat.), Where then a powerful sheikh ruled. A major slave trader himself, he probably sensed rivals in the Portuguese, but at first he received the foreigners well. The next day, as the ships entered the harbor, the Arabs on board, including both pilots, jumped into a nearby dhow and fled. At night, Gama ordered the torture of two prisoners captured from Mozambique in order to find out from them about the "conspiracy in Mombasa." Their hands were tied and a boiling mixture of oil and tar was poured onto their naked bodies. The unfortunates, of course, confessed to the "conspiracy", but since they, naturally, could not provide any details, the torture continued. One prisoner with his hands tied escaped from the hands of the executioners, threw himself into the water and drowned. Leaving Mombasa, Gama detained an Arab dhow at sea, plundered it and captured 19 people. On April 14, she anchored in the harbor of Malindi (3 ° S lat.).

Ahmed Ibn Majid and the path through the Arabian Sea

The local sheikh greeted Gama amiably, as he himself was at enmity with Mombasa. He made an alliance with the Portuguese against a common enemy and gave them a reliable old pilot Ahmed Ibn Majid(hereditary navigator, whose father and grandfather were muallim (Muallim is a captain who knows astronomy and is familiar with the conditions of sailing along the coast, literally a teacher, mentor)), which was supposed to bring them to Southwest India. With him, the Portuguese left Malindi on April 24. Ibn Majid headed for the northeast and, using a passing monsoon, brought the ships to India, the coast of which appeared on May 17.

Seeing the Indian land, Ibn Majid moved away from the dangerous coast and turned south. Three days later, a high promontory appeared, probably Mount Delhi (at 12 ° N). Then the pilot approached the admiral with the words: "This is the country to which you were striving." By the evening of May 20, 1498, Portuguese ships, having advanced about 100 km to the south, stopped at the roadstead against the city of Calicut (now Kozhikode).

Portuguese in Calicut

In the morning, the flotilla was visited by officials of the Samorin, the local ruler. Gama sent a criminal who knew a little Arabic with them to the shore. According to the messenger's story, he was taken to two Arabs, who spoke to him in Italian and Castilian. The first question he was asked was, "What devil brought you here?" The messenger replied that the Portuguese had come to Calicut "to look for Christians and spices." One of the Arabs escorted the messenger back, congratulated Gama on his arrival and ended with the words: "Thank God for bringing you to such a rich country." The Arab offered Gama his services and was really very helpful to him. The Arabs, very numerous in Calicut (in their hands were almost all foreign trade with South India), turned the Zamorin against the Portuguese; besides, in Lisbon they did not think to provide Gama with valuable gifts or gold to bribe local authorities. After Gama personally handed Zamorin letters from the king, he and his retinue were detained. They were released only a day later, when the Portuguese unloaded some of their goods ashore. However, in the future, the Zamorin was quite neutral and did not interfere with trade, but the Muslims did not buy Portuguese goods, indicating their poor quality, and the poor Indians paid much less than the Portuguese expected to receive. Still, I managed to buy or receive in exchange cloves, cinnamon and precious stones - a little of everything.

Vasco da Gama brings gifts to the ruler of Calcutta.

Colored beads were brought as gifts, hats with feathers and many other things like that. The ruler did not accept the gifts, and his entourage "laughed as soon as they saw these gifts." Paolo Novaresio, The Explorers, White Star, Italy, 2002

More than two months passed in this way. On August 9, Gama sent gifts to Zamorin (amber, corals, etc.) and said that he was going to leave and asked to send a representative with him with gifts to the king - with bahar (more than two centners) of cinnamon, bahar cloves and samples of other spices. Samorin demanded to pay 600 sherafins (about 1,800 gold rubles) of customs duties, but for now he gave the order to detain the goods in the warehouse and forbade residents to transport the Portuguese who remained on the coast to ships. However, Indian boats, as before, approached the ships, curious townspeople examined them, and Gama very kindly received the guests. Once, having learned that there were noble persons among the visitors, he arrested several people and informed the Zamorin that he would free them when the Portuguese who remained on the shore and the detained goods were sent to the ships. A week later, after Gama threatened to execute the hostages, the Portuguese were taken to the ships. Gama freed some of the arrested, promising to release the rest after the return of all the goods. The Zamorin's agents hesitated, and on August 29 Gama left Calicut with noble hostages on board.

Return to Lisbon

Ships moved slowly north along the Indian coast due to weak variable winds. On September 20, the Portuguese anchored at about. Anjidiv (14 ° 45 "N), where they repaired their ships. During the repair, pirates approached the island, but Gama put them to flight with cannon shots. Leaving Anjidiv in early October, the flotilla tacked for almost three months or stood motionless, until finally a fair wind blew. In January 1499 the Portuguese reached Malindi. The Sheikh supplied the flotilla with fresh supplies, at Gama's insistent request, sent a gift to the king (elephant tusk) and installed a padran. In the Mombasa area, Gama burned San Rafael ": The greatly reduced crew, in which many people were sick, was unable to manage three ships. On February 1, he reached Mozambique. It then took seven weeks to go to the Cape of Good Hope and another four to the Cape Verde Islands. Here" San Gabriel was separated from the Berriu, which, under the command of N. Cuellu, on July 10, 1499, was the first to arrive in Lisbon.

Vasca da Gama. Portrait

Paulo da Gama was terminally ill. Vasco, very attached to him (the only human trait of his character), wanted his brother to die in his native land. He went to Fr. Santiago from the San Gabriel to the fast caravel he hired and went to the Azores, where Paulo died. Having buried him, Vasco arrived in Lisbon by the end of August. Of his four ships, only two returned ( It is not known where and under what conditions the transport ship was abandoned or lost, and the fate of its crew is not clarified) , from the crew - less than half (according to one version - 55 people), including a sailor Juan da Lijboa, who took part in the voyage, probably as a navigator. Later, he repeatedly took Portuguese ships to India and compiled a description of the route, including a description of the coast of Africa - not only large bays and bays, but the mouths of rivers, capes and even some notable points of the coast. This work was surpassed in detail only in the middle of the 19th century. "African Sailing" of the British Admiralty.

Gama's expedition was not unprofitable for the crown, despite the loss of two ships: in Calicut, they managed to acquire spices and jewelry in exchange for government goods and personal belongings of sailors, a considerable income was brought by Gama's pirate operations in the Arabian Sea. But, of course, this was not what caused the jubilation in Lisbon among the ruling circles. The expedition found out what huge benefits direct maritime trade with India can bring for them, given the proper economic, political and military organization of the case. The opening of the sea route to India to Europeans was one of the greatest events in the history of world trade. From that moment until the digging of the Suez Canal (1869), Europe's main commerce with the countries of the Indian Ocean and with China went not through the Mediterranean Sea, but across the Atlantic Ocean - past the Cape of Good Hope. Portugal, which held in its hands the "key to eastern navigation", became in the 16th century. the strongest sea power, seized the monopoly of trade with South and East Asia and held it for 90 years - until the defeat of the "Invincible Armada" (1588).

GAMA Vasco yes
(Da Gama, Vasco)

(1460-1524), Portuguese navigator who discovered the sea route from Western Europe to India. Little is known about Vasco da Gama's childhood and adolescence. He was born in Sines, was educated in Evora, studied the art of navigation. After the discovery in 1488 of the Cape of Good Hope by Bartolomeu Dias and receiving a message from Peru di Covillama that he had reached India by land, King João II ordered ships to be built and sent to search for a sea route to India, but died in 1495. His successor, Manuel I in the first years of his reign, he sought to consolidate his position in order to implement João's plans. In 1497, he ordered an expedition to be sent under the leadership of Vasco da Gama. The flotilla consisted of the flagship San Gabriel, the ship San Rafael (captained by Vasco da Gama's brother Paulo) and two smaller vessels.

Vasco da Gama left Lisbon on July 8, 1497, headed west from the Cape Verde Islands, then turned east and, having described a large arc, reached the African coast near the Cape of Good Hope. After clashes with the local population in the extreme south of Africa, he continued his voyage and rounded the Cape of Good Hope. On the east coast of Africa came into conflict with local Arab rulers. Many members of the expedition died from scurvy. In the Arab port of Malindi, the Portuguese were greeted in a friendly manner. Vasco da Gama hired an experienced pilot, under whose leadership the flotilla crossed the Indian Ocean and on May 20, 1498 reached Calicut on the Malabar coast of India. On the way back, the flotilla was chased by storms. During one of them, the San Rafael was badly damaged and had to be abandoned (like another small ship). Vasco da Gama landed on Terceira Island in the Azores archipelago to bury his brother Paulo, and one of the August days in 1499 arrived in Lisbon. Together with him returned 55 surviving members of the expedition (out of 170). A valuable cargo was delivered to the homeland - pepper and other oriental spices. Thus ended the longest journey of that time, which culminated in the opening of the sea route from Europe to Asia. Thus, if thanks to the voyages of Columbus, vast lands of the New World were discovered, then Vasco da Gama opened the riches and resources of Asia for Europe. King Manuel bestowed on him the title of nobility, and later - the title of admiral of India. In 1500, a Portuguese flotilla under the command of Pedro Alvaris Cabral was sent on a trade mission to the East and participated in several battles off the Malabar coast. In 1502 Vasco da Gama was sent to India on a punitive expedition. Along the way, he discovered the Amirant Islands in the Indian Ocean (they are still sometimes called the Admiral Islands in memory of Vasco da Gama) and founded colonies in Mozambique and Sofala on the southeastern coast of Africa. During his second trip, Vasco da Gama received many awards and privileges. In 1519 he was granted the Portuguese cities of Vidigueira and Villa da Frade, along with the title of Count of Vidigueira. The new king, João III, in 1524 sent Vasco da Gama to India as viceroy, placing him at the head of the first European colony in Asia. Vasco da Gama died in Cochin on December 24, 1524. Vasco da Gama was buried in Goa in India, but in 1539 his remains were taken (possibly by one of his sons) to Portugal and buried in a church in Vidigueira. Here the coffin remained until 1880, until it was transferred to the marble tomb of the church at the monastery of Jerome in Belem near Lisbon (formerly on this site there was a church of sailors in Restello, founded by Prince Henry the Navigator, in which Vasco da Gama prayed all night before the first voyage in 1497 ). Subsequently, it turned out that a coffin with the remains of another person was transferred from Vidigueira, and in 1898 the real remains of the famous traveler were placed in the tomb.
LITERATURE
Kunin K. Vasco da Gama. M., 1947 Vyazov E.I. Vasco da Gama. Discoverer of the sea route to India. M., 1956 Hart G. Sea route to India. A story about the voyages and exploits of Portuguese sailors, as well as the life and time of Don Vasco da Gama, Admiral Viceroy of India and Count of Vidigueira. M., 1959

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

See what "GAMA Vasco da" is in other dictionaries:

- (1469 1524) Portuguese navigator, viceroy of the New Lands. In 1497 99. sailed from Portugal to India, completing many years of searching for a sea route from Europe to the countries of South Asia (in the Indian Ocean partially with the help of the Arab ... Historical Dictionary

- (Gama) (1469 1524), Portuguese navigator. In 1497 99 made a voyage from Lisbon to India, circumnavigating Africa, and back, for the first time making a sea route from Europe to southern Asia. In 1502 03 and 1524 he made 2 more voyages to India. * * * GAMA Vasco ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Gama (da Gama), Vasco da Gama (1469, Sines, Portugal, 12.24.1524, Cochin, India), Portuguese navigator who completed the search for a sea route from Europe to India. By the time of G.'s expedition, the Portuguese had already completed the sea route along ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Gama, Vasco yes- GAMA (Gama) Vasco da (1469 1524), Portuguese navigator, viceroy of the New Lands. In 1497, 99 made a voyage from Portugal to India, completing a long-term search for a sea route from Europe to the countries of South Asia (in the Indian Ocean partly from ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Gama, Vasco yes- (1469 1524) outstanding portuguese. navigator, discoverer of the south. sea ​​route from Europe to India around Africa. The discovery of this path was the result of the Portuguese. expedition under the command of G., set off on July 8, 1497 from Lisbon. V… … The medieval world in terms, names and titles

Gama, Vasco yes- GA / MA Vasco da (1469 1524) Portuguese navigator, Admiral (1502), Count (1519). In 1497 1499. sailed from Lisbon to India around Africa and back, for the first time paving the sea route from Europe to South Asia. In 1502 1503. and 1524 ... ...

- ... Wikipedia

- ... Wikipedia

Da Gama Vasco- (da Gama, Vasco) (about 1469 1524), port tug. seafarer and conquistador, the first European to discover the sea. way to India. In 1497 the king of Portugal ordered to check the discovery of the "Big Ocean" made by B. Dias to the east of Cape Good Hope. D.G. ... ... The World History

Gama- Gama, Vasco yes ... Marine Biographical Dictionary

Books

• A century of discoveries in the biographies of remarkable navigators and conquerors of the 15th - 16th centuries, E. Granstrem. The publication contains a number of articles about the great navigators and conquerors of the 15th - 16th centuries: Prince Henry the Navigator, Bartholomew Diaz, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, Christopher ...

Vasco da Gama is one of those three great navigators, thanks to whom it became clear to everyone that the Earth is a ball. The names of these pioneers are: Vasco da Gama and Fernand Magellan. For all the greatness of their discoveries, they were completely different people, different personalities, and many researchers agree that, perhaps, Vasco da Gama was the least cute of them all. The Portuguese sailor had an unbridled disposition, often bordering on cruelty, was a greedy and despotic person, did not possess and did not even strive to possess diplomatic skills. Although in fairness, it must be emphasized that in those days these qualities were not considered such a terrible vice, but, rather, on the contrary, betrayed a successful, enterprising, promising person.

Origin

Despite the fact that the name Vasco da Gama is known to every schoolchild today, it cannot be said that we know everything about the life of the famous traveler. So, for example, even the date of his birth remains in question: some researchers are inclined that it was 1460, others argue that he was born in 1469. One thing is certain - Vasco was born and spent his childhood in the small seaside village of Sines, 160 km south of Lisbon. His family was noble and noble. The father of the future navigator, Estevan da Gama, was the chief judge of the city, and thanks to the military merit of one of his ancestors, he was knightly. And mother - Isabelle Sodre - came from a family with English roots; according to family legends, their family descended from the knight Frederic Sadley, who came to Portugal, accompanying Duke Edmund Langley on a trip.

Family and early years

In total, the family of Estevan da Gama had 5 sons and 1 daughter. It is widely believed among historians that Vasco and his older brother Paulo were bastards, that is, children born before their parents entered into an official marriage. It is possible that this circumstance also left its mark on his character, since the position of the illegitimate in those days entailed very serious consequences. So both brothers were tonsured monks because of this - in those days, the inheritance did not pass to illegitimate children, therefore, they had to pave the way in life on their own, and tonsure provided an opportunity for a good education. The life of the young men turned out to be predetermined, there was no other way.

The most interesting thing for you!

Some sources report that Vasco's first tonsure took place in 1480. But in order to become a monk, you need to be tonsured three times, which, apparently, did not happen. All researchers of the life of Vasco da Gama agree that he had a good education for that time, was well versed in mathematics, astronomy and navigation. But it is not known for certain whether this is connected with the tonsure. Most likely, he studied in the city of Évora.

Early career at court

Since 1480, for some time, all records are cut off, and the next 12 years of the traveler's life, none of the researchers can trace - none of the sources mentions him. His name reappears on the pages of the chronicles only in 1492 - da Gama at that time was already serving at the court, he was 23 years old. The name Vasco is mentioned in connection with the fact that the French corsairs captured Portuguese ships loaded with gold. The king of Portugal, João II, ordered the young sailor to return the valuable cargo, and to take the French ships prisoner. Vasco da Gama successfully and quickly coped with this task, after which they began to talk about the young Portuguese sailor at court.

After King Manuel I succeeded João II on the throne, Portugal again began to actively prepare for an expedition to the East. And this event was headed by none other than Vasco da Gama himself. It was not just a sailing in the waters of the Indian Ocean that were previously unknown to Europeans, but as a result, the world's first sea voyage from Europe to India took place.

Merit, awards and ambition

Upon his return to Portugal, Vasco da Gama was awarded all sorts of honors: in addition to the glory of a pioneer in India, the king appointed him a life pension of 1000 cruzadu and assigned the title "don" to his surname, which put him on a par with the royal nobility. But the newly minted Don da Gama was not fully satisfied with such an award, he sought his appointment as seigneur of the city of Sines. Some historians see this as a manifestation of the once infringed pride of young Vasco, due to the fact of his illegitimate birth. He seemed to be trying to prove to everyone that he was the most worthy of the worthy.

The king, perhaps, would have taken this step without hesitation, but the Order of Santiago opposed it, in whose department the city of Sines was located, despite the fact that Vasco da Gama was listed as a knight of this order. This story ended with the fact that the famous navigator left the Order of Santiago and joined the ranks of its competitors - the Order of Christ. The king, in order to satisfy the seaman's ambition, awarded him the title of "Admiral of the Indian Sea".

The title gave lord Vasco and his family many privileges and for some time pacified the pride of the famous Portuguese, although his cherished dream of becoming a count has not yet come true. I must say that at the same time Vasco da Gama finally got a family. He married Catarina di Ataida, a representative of the famous Almeida family, they had seven children - six sons and one daughter.

The second expedition to India led by Vasco da Gama hit the road in 1499. And in October 1503, the navigator returned to his homeland with great success. The king increases his pension. Vasco da Gama becomes incredibly rich, practically on a par with the royal family. But they are in no hurry to hand over the coveted earl's title to him, the king is in thought.

Making your cherished dream come true

After waiting more than one year, Don da Gama goes to blackmail: he writes a letter to the king, in which he informs about his intention to leave the country. The calculation was correct - Portugal, after the loss of Columbus and, could not afford to lose even Vasco da Gama. And then the king, showing miracles of diplomacy, wrote in response that, they say, how is it, signor da Gama, are you going to leave Portugal, just when you were awarded the title of count? (this letter has been preserved in the original).

Thus, the parties came to an agreement. Vasco da Gama finally became Count of Vidigueira (the title was created especially for him) and received his own land holdings. This happened only in 1519. In fairness, it should be noted that, probably, not only ambition drove the famous navigator in pursuit of the county, but also the desire to transfer the title and lands to his children and grandchildren.

India: the meaning of life and the place of death

In total, during his life, Vasco da Gama visited the "island of spices" 3 times, and it was the Indian land that became the last refuge for the famous navigator. On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1524, during the third expedition to India, da Gama suddenly fell ill and died suddenly in the city of Cochin. In 1539, take his ashes to Lisbon.

Despite the contradictory nature of many actions that look cruel in the light of today, Vasco da Gama, both during his lifetime and many centuries later, remains a man-legend. In 1998, on the 500th anniversary of the opening of the sea route to India, the Vasco da Gama bridge was built in Lisbon, and today it is the longest in Europe. In honor of Vasco da Gama, a city on Goa, a crater on the moon, one of the Brazilian football clubs was named, and in 2012 the Vasco da Gama gold medal for outstanding achievements in the field of geographical sciences was established.

“… If this situation continued for two more weeks, there would be no people left to control the ships. We have reached the point where all the bonds of discipline have disappeared. We prayed to the patron saints of our ships. The captains consulted and decided, if the wind permits, 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. This confidence was reinforced by the evidence obtained through the studies of Peruda Coviglian and Afonso de Paiva that there was a sea connection between East Africa and India (1490-1491). However, for some reason the Portuguese were in no hurry to make this same throw.

A little earlier, in 1483, Christopher Columbus proposed to the King of Portugal João II a different route to India - the western one, across the Atlantic. The reasons why the king nevertheless rejected the Genoese project can only be guessed at now. It is most likely that the Portuguese either preferred the "bird in hand" - already almost groped over the years to India around Africa, or they were better informed than Columbus and knew that India was not at all lying across the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps João 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 Portugal and offered his services to the Spaniards. The latter dragged on for a long time, but in 1492 they dispatched an expedition to the west.

The return of Columbus with the news that he had opened the western route to India, naturally, worried the Portuguese: they questioned the rights granted to Portugal in 1452 by Pope Nicholas V to all the lands open to the south and east of Cape Bojador. The Spaniards declared the lands discovered by Columbus theirs and refused to recognize the territorial rights of Portugal. Only the head of the Catholic Church himself could resolve this dispute. On May 3, 1493, Pope Alexander VI made a Solomon decision: all the lands that the Portuguese discovered or will open east of the meridian, which runs in 100 leagues (one league was equal to about 3 miles or 4,828 km) west of the Cape Verde Islands, belong to them, and the territories to the west of this line - to the Spaniards. A year later, Spain and Portugal signed the so-called Tordesillas Treaty, which was based on this decision.

Now the time has come for active action. It was becoming dangerous to delay the expedition to India - God knows what else the Genoese Spaniard was discovering 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 and diplomat. Obviously, the king assumed that the main difficulties awaiting the expedition were 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 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, Nicolao Coelho was in charge of the Berriu, and Gonzalo Nunez stood on the captain's bridge of the fourth, a small merchant ship whose name has not survived. The route of the expedition across the Atlantic Ocean is of considerable interest and provides food for many assumptions. Having passed the Cape Verde Islands, the ships turned west and described a large arc, almost touching South America, and then going east, towards St. Helina Bay on the African coast. Not the closest way, right? But the fastest - with such a trajectory, sailboats "sit astride" on the associated ocean currents. It seems that the Portuguese were already well aware of the currents and winds of the western half of the South Atlantic. This means that they could have sailed this route before. Perhaps, passing them, they saw the land - South America and, moreover, landed there. But this is already from the field of assumptions, not facts.

The people of Vasco da Gama spent 93 days in the ocean without stepping on land - at that time a world record. On the shore of St. Helena Bay, the sailors met dark-skinned (but lighter than the inhabitants of the mainland already familiar to the Portuguese) undersized people - Bushmen. Peaceful trade exchange somehow imperceptibly turned into an armed conflict, and we had to wean ourselves off the anchor. Having rounded the Cape of Good Hope and followed by the southernmost point of Africa - the Cape named Agolny, since the needle (needle) of the compass near it was losing declination, the ships entered Mosselbay Bay, and on December 16 they reached the final destination of Bartolomeu Dias' voyage - Rio doo- 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 full in any fruits, 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, amber, 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 deception, or the gifts presented by the navigator, he did not like - the Portuguese had to retire. In retaliation, Vasco da Gama ordered the inhospitable city to be shot from cannons.

The next point was Mombasa. The local sheikh did not immediately like the newcomers - after all, they were gentiles, but they liked their ships. 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 lacking guns were doomed to failure. Vasco da Gama captured Arab ships, and cruelly tortured and drowned 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 received several 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 (present-day Kozhikode), a famous transit center for the 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 the trouble began. Portuguese goods were not in demand, largely due to the intrigues of Muslim traders, who were not used to competition and, moreover, had heard about the numerous skirmishes of the Portuguese with Arab merchant ships. The Samutiri's attitude 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 sailing, Vasco da Gama wrote a letter to Samutiri, in which he reminded of the promise to send ambassadors to Portugal, and also asked for gifts for his king - several bags of spices. In response, the samutiri demanded the 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. Samutiri 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 samutiri. At the end of August, the ships hit the road. If the journey from Malindi to Calicut took the Portuguese 23 days, then they had to get back more than four months. And this is due to the monsoons, in the summer, directed from the Indian Ocean towards South Asia. Now, if the Portuguese had waited for winter, the monsoon, which had changed its direction to the opposite, would have quickly rushed them to the shores of East Africa. And so - a long exhausting swimming, terrible heat, scurvy. From time to time we had to fight off the 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 fired at the city from bombardments. 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 guide it anyway) rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and on April 16, with a favorable 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 welcome awaited the traveler, he received the highest title of nobility and a life annuity, and a little later was appointed "admiral of the Indian Seas". The spices and precious stones brought by him more than covered the expenses of the expedition. But the main thing is different. Already in 1500-1501. the Portuguese began trade with India, established strongholds there. Having established themselves on the Malabar coast, they began expansion to the east and west, drove out the Arab merchants and for a whole century asserted their dominance in Indian sea waters. In 1511 they took possession of Malacca - the real kingdom of spices. Vasco da Gama's reconnaissance in force on the East African coast allowed the Portuguese to organize here forts, transshipment bases, points of supply of fresh water and provisions.

FIGURES AND FACTS

Main character: Vasco da Gama, Portuguese
Other actors: Kings of Portugal João II and Manuel I; Alexander VI, Pope of Rome; Bartolomeu Dias; captains Paulo da Gama, Nicolao Coelho, Gonzalo Nunez
Time: July 8, 1497 - September 18, 1499
Route: From Portugal bypassing Africa to India
Objective: Reach India by sea and establish trade relations
Meaning: Arrival of the first ships from Europe to India, the assertion of Portuguese domination in Indian sea waters and on the East African coast

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