What did Vasco da Gama discover? The Journey of Vasco da Gama. What Vasco da Gama discovered: the traveler’s sea route

Vasco da Gama was born in 1460 (1469), in the city of Sines, in the family of a noble Portuguese knight. He was the third son of five children.

At the age of twenty, together with his brothers, he became a member of the Order of Santiago. He received mathematical, navigational and astronomical knowledge in Évora. One of his teachers was A. Zacuto.

First Indian expedition

In 1497, Vasco da Gama led a naval expedition. On July 8, the armada made a ceremonial exit from Lisbon and soon reached the Canary Islands, which belonged to Castile. Not wanting to share important information with Spanish rivals, Vasco da Gama ordered to bypass the islands.

On Christmas Eve of the same year, the expedition reached the area that today is part of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Having rounded the Cape of Good Hope, the expedition entered the territories former part Indian Ocean trade routes. The ships also visited the ports of Mozambique and Mombasa.

Walking along the coast of Africa, the expedition reached Malindi. There, Vasco da Gama met with Ahmad ibn Majid, who, according to some sources, became his pilot. It was he who set a course for India. On May 20, 1498, the ships moored near Calicut.

In 1499 Vasco da Gama returned to Portugal. Economically, his expedition was quite successful. The proceeds from the goods that the enterprising navigator brought from India were 60 times higher than the costs of organizing the sea voyage.

Second Indian Expedition

In 1502, by order of King Manuel, a new squadron led by a successful navigator was sent to India.

In the fall of 1503, Vasco da Gama returned to Portugal with rich booty. There was no serious appointment from the king. Only in 1519 did the ambitious sailor receive the title of count and land.

Important discoveries

Da Gama's main discovery was the discovery of a direct sea route to India, which at that time was fabulously rich country. This helped the Europeans free themselves from the monopoly of their Arab competitors who controlled overland trade with India.

The last expedition and death

In 1524, the new Portuguese monarch, João III, appointed Vasco da Gama as viceroy. In April he sailed to India and upon arrival entered into a violent struggle with the colonial administration, which was abusing its position.

But the newly-minted viceroy did not have time to restore order because he fell ill with malaria. He passed away on December 24, 1524, in Kochi. In 1880, his body was reburied in the Lisbon Jeronimo monastery.

Other biography options

• Vasco da Gama became the first European to circumnavigate Africa. According to many contemporaries, the navigator had a stern, difficult character. He was very angry, which affected both the sailors under his command and the Indian population.
• Another unsightly trait of Da Gama was greed. He was a bad diplomat and every now and then he used his fists or weapons.
• In an irreconcilable struggle with Arab competitors, he took unprecedented measures even for the fifteenth century. Once, having captured an Arab ship off the Malabar coast, da Gama ordered it to be burned along with the passengers making a pilgrimage.

The Age of Great Geographical Discovery is an extremely important milestone in the history of mankind. Of course, the peoples of the South and North America They are unlikely to agree with this statement, but for our civilization as a whole the significance of those studies is enormous. The names of the brave captains of the glorious era are forever imprinted in historical documents, and therefore every schoolchild knows them today.

But not everyone can list the true achievements of these great people. Not everyone, for example, will answer the question of what Vasco da Gama discovered. This is what we will look at in the article.

Biographical milestones

Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) is a world-famous Portuguese navigator, whose life coincided with the era of the Great Discoveries. Known for being the first in history to pave the sea route to India. At one time he even held a high post in India. In short, the biography of Vasco da Gama is rich in outstanding events.

Many historians emphasize that he was not a discoverer in the strict sense of the word (unlike Magellan). While I had to work hard to convince powerful of the world Because of the need to organize an expedition, Vasco da Gama did not deal with such issues. This is explained by the fact that the monarch simply appointed him “discoverer of the sea route to India.”

The sailor was also very lucky with the organization of the trip: he and his team were provided with all the best, fully understanding the importance of the whole event.

How did the biography of Vasco da Gama begin? Not much is known about his mother, but his father belonged to an ancient and wealthy knightly class. The future conqueror of the oceans had five brothers and a sister.

Judging by the “yes” in his name, his family definitely belonged to the upper class of the nobility. According to Portuguese historians, one of Vasco da Gama’s ancestors (the traveler’s biography confirms this) at one time distinguished himself in a battle with the Moors, for which he was awarded a knighthood.

Where did the future discoverer of the sea route to India receive his education? Alas, we have to judge here only by indirect traces. What is more or less reliably known is that young Vasco da Gama learned mathematics and navigation in Évora. Considering that information has been preserved only about these sciences, one can assume how much the Portuguese respected people who were able to chart a course and handle a sextant.

It should be noted that the Portuguese nobles did not have special choice in matters relating to their occupation. If a person belonged to the noble class, and was also a knight, then his path was exclusively a military matter. Considering that Portugal did not wage more or less serious land wars with anyone, but was actively developing lands overseas, almost all nobles became naval officers.

The young Vasco da Gama did not escape the same path: his biography (including his discoveries) clearly shows that Portugal actually did not have more talented captains at that time.

Life of Vasco da Gama before his journey to India

Back in 1492, some French corsairs managed to intercept a rich cargo heading to Portugal. The monarch of this glorious country could not tolerate such impudence, and therefore instructed one young nobleman to go on a punitive raid along the coast, capturing all the French ships found in that area. The guarantor completed the task so quickly and efficiently that the robbers had to return everything. As you may have guessed, this brave knight was Vasco da Gama. Because of his determination and courage, he quickly approached the royal court.

In 1495, Manuel I ascended the throne of Portugal, who not only continued the work of maritime expansion of the already known lands with redoubled zeal, but also seriously thought about opening a sea route to India. Initially, Bartolomeo Dias was appointed leader of the squadron. But the king understood that the expedition would require not only nautical, but also purely military talents. That’s why our hero was appointed to this place. So what did Vasco da Gama discover next?

About the sea route to India

It should be noted that the predecessor of the active monarch had already tried his luck in finding a land route. This was not easy to do, since the entire northern part of Africa was in the hands of the aforementioned Moors. Only by going south of the Sahara could one reach the desired path.

In 1487, a serious expedition set out on a campaign. It was led by experienced officers - Peru da Covilha and Afonso di Paiva. The first managed to reach the desired India and convey a message to his homeland about the possibility of such a transition. Already in 1488, he conducted a detailed study of the southern tip of the Black Continent. It seemed that João II was about to have the strongest trump card in his hands - the path to India would be guaranteed constant influx wealth So why did Vasco da Gama and the discovery of the sea route to India become such an important milestone in the history of both Portugal and all human civilization?

Fate would have it otherwise: the king’s only heir dies, and therefore he is almost completely removed from politics. However, he managed to do a lot: for example, to accompany the expedition, an entire squadron of first-class sea vessels was built, the design of which was once entrusted to the well-known Bartolomeo Dias.

When the monarch died in 1495, Manuel I - his successor - was at first least thinking about India. But the international political situation developed in such a way that without this it soon became impossible. Rapid preparations for the great campaign continued.

Equipment of the first expedition

What ships did Vasco da Gama travel on? The San Gabriel took the lead of the squadron. A ship of a similar class, the San Rafael, came under the command of Paulo, the brother of Vasco da Gama. Both sailboats belonged to the so-called nao class. These were very large ships, the displacement of which reached 120-150 tons. Due to the wide rectangular sails, they could develop decent speed, but they were quite clumsy, and sailors were not too fond of using them for long journeys without anchoring to the shore.

The opposite of the flagship was Berriu. The vessel is a nimble, maneuverable caravel. It was equipped with oblique sails and was commanded by Nicolau Coelho. Finally, the squadron included a certain transport aircraft, neither the name nor other information about which has been preserved.

About navigation

It is not surprising that with such attention to the organization of the expedition, the best navigation instruments of that time were allocated to equip it. Peru Alenker became the chief navigator. This outstanding sailor has already proven himself excellent on the campaign with Dias (which we talked about above). In addition to the main officers on board were a priest, a scribe and an astronomer. They also took care of several translators who helped in communicating with the natives. According to some historians, the crew number reached 170 people.

Humane tradition

In those days there was one curious tradition. During such trips, convicted criminals were taken on board. Of course, they did not do this in order to introduce the prisoners to the beauties of overseas lands. They were used as reconnaissance aircraft, landing troops, and in other situations when they did not want to risk the lives of the regular crew. However, for the prisoners themselves there was “light at the end of the tunnel.” No matter how serious the sin that a person committed in freedom, he received freedom at the end of the voyage. If he lived, of course.

Nutrition issues

Remember we mentioned a certain transport ship? They began to include it in expeditions since the time of Dias, when a similar approach to business proved extremely effective. The warehouse ship contained a huge supply of provisions, uniforms, spare rigging, and tools. The team's diet was not very abundant: porridge, corned beef, crackers. In addition, the standard ration included a small amount of wine. Greens and fruits, fish and fresh meat were obtained by the sailors themselves in the parking lots.

All sailors and officers received a good salary (with the exception of the “penal battalion”). No one went on hikes for the sake of the romance of sea voyages. However, Vasco da Gama’s journey was a purely commercial event, so there’s really no reason to be surprised.

What were the ships of the squadron armed with?

By that time, the weapons on ships had already moved far away from those primitive mortars that were found everywhere at the beginning of the era. Each of the "naos" had at least 20 guns, and the caravel was armed with twelve guns. The team's personal weapons were reminiscent of the Spanish: the same cuirasses and halberds, dirks and swords. There were also several muskets and pistols. The quality and prevalence of personal firearms were so low that they usually did not have a serious impact on the outcome of the battle.

On July 8, 1497, the squadron set sail from the port of Lisbon with great honors. Vasco da Gama set off on the journey of that era. The discovery of India (more precisely, the sea route there) was just around the corner!

Start of the hike

The process took place as usual: the ships sailed along Sierra Leone. Taking advantage of Dias's good advice, the expedition deviated greatly to the west from the intended course in order to avoid a strong headwind. He himself, by the way, by this time had already departed from the armada on a separate ship, heading to the fortress of San Jorge da Mina. There Dias took up the post of commandant.

Meanwhile, our squadron has already made an impressive detour to Atlantic Ocean, after which the Portuguese again saw the shores of the Black Continent. On November 4, 1497, a significant lowering of the anchor took place in the bay, which immediately received the name of St. Helena. The crews of the ships received orders for long-term mooring, since the ships were still badly battered in the open ocean, but it was not possible to complete all the work. Along the way, we still managed to find several pieces of land on which desperately leaking ships were patched up. This is how Vasco da Gama discovered

Local population turned out to be extremely hostile. However, given the number of slave traders in those places, this was not surprising. Vasco da Gama himself received an arrow in the leg in one of the skirmishes, after which the squadron moved on.

But the main tests were still ahead. With great difficulty rounding the Cape of Storms (Good Hope), the flotilla dropped anchor in Mossel Bay. The clumsy cargo ship was so badly battered by bad weather that it had to be burned. Fortunately, the local natives turned out to be much kinder to the travelers, and therefore it was possible not only to repair the ships without interference, but also to replenish supplies of water and provisions. The further path lay to the northeast.

Arab cunning

On December 16, 1497, the sailors saw the last memorial pillar, which was left by the Dias expedition back in 1488. Everyone considered this a good omen, and the premonitions were justified: the voyage went on for a whole month without delays or incidents. This is largely due to the fact that the ships of the expedition sailed along quite civilized shores.

The fact is that the eastern coast of Africa has long been an Arab patrimony, and they, unlike the semi-wild tribes of the western coast, knew the Europeans very well. Largely because of this, Vasco da Gama’s expedition took place quite peacefully (for those years). The sea route to India took the lives of many sailors, but they died due to poor quality nutrition and infectious diseases.

Despite the Crusades, the attitude towards them was quite acceptable, but it was still not without difficulties.

Thus, in Mozambique, friction began with the local administration. And the point was not at all in religion, to which the very cynical Arabs generally paid little attention, but in the fact that local merchants suspected the Portuguese as competitors. Vasco da Gama did not remain in debt, lightly shelling the inhospitable shores.

In the ports of Mombasa and Malindi, the expedition was greeted much better. Oddly enough, the local sheikh greeted them as best friends. However, he had his own reasons: the flattered Portuguese easily signed an alliance treaty against some common enemies. In Malindi, the expedition finally met Indian merchants. Huge works and the search for a reliable pilot cost a lot of money. On May 20, 1498, the ships of the flotilla finally reached the shores of Hindustan.

First, Vasco visited the city of Calicut (present-day Kozhikode). The mayor greeted the guests very solemnly. But even here Muslim merchants began to put a spoke in their wheels again. Relations with the mayor deteriorated sharply, trade was poor. However, we managed to sell a lot precious stones and spices. By old tradition, Vasco da Gama repaid the ungrateful townspeople by planting several cannonballs into the city walls and capturing a couple of valuable hostages. In Goa, the Portuguese tried to establish a merchant trading post, but here they failed.

The sea route to the shores of India - this is what Vasco da Gama discovered!

Return trip

I had to turn around and swim home. However, it was a sin to complain: the area had been explored, trade relations, albeit poorly, had been established. Subsequently it turned out important factor the establishment of Portuguese rule in those parts, which Vasco da Gama himself contributed greatly to. The great travelers of those years often became talented politicians and military leaders, so there is nothing surprising in this fact there is no biography of him.

But that was ahead, and for now the sailors faced a long and dangerous return journey. They were tormented by (how little the situation in that area has changed since then), terrible heat and food infections. On January 2, 1499, the city of Mogadishu was fired from cannons “for prophylaxis”, after which the squadron headed for Malindi.

Rest

On January 7, 1499, they reached the already familiar city, in which they were finally able to take a break from the hateful sea and the cramped ship conditions. And this time the sheikh provided excellent food and apartments, and therefore in just five days the team was greatly encouraged.

The journey continued, but not without losses: on January 13, near Mombasa, due to a strong leak, one of the ships again had to say goodbye. By mid-April, the greatly reduced flotilla was still able to reach Cape Verde. The house was already nearby. To cheer up the family members and the king, a ship was sent ahead, which was supposed to be the first to deliver the news of the successful completion of the expedition. At the same time, Vasco's brother, Paulo, became seriously ill, and therefore the captain himself was delayed.

And only at the end of August (or already in September) 1499, the remnants of the armada proudly moored in the port of Lisbon. This is what Vasco da Gama discovered. Marco Polo and other great sailors of yesteryear could have every right to be proud of the deeds of their colleague!

Return and reward

Only two ships and 55 crew members reached their native shores. But from a financial point of view, the success was simply phenomenal: the proceeds from trade with Arabs and Indians were 60 times (!) higher than all the costs of organizing the expedition itself. It is not surprising that the name Vasco da Gama and the discovery of the sea route to India became synonymous in the world. long years forward!

Manuel I was delighted. Vasco received the high title of Don, a considerable pension and a huge land allotment. Considering that Vasco da Gama opened the way to India, which since ancient times was famous for its riches, such honors are easily explained. In addition, our hero became a close adviser to the king, so all the hardships were not in vain. He will go to India more than once, defending the interests of his native land on distant shores.

At the end of 1524, Vasco da Gama died, passing away on Indian soil. He nevertheless managed to establish a trading post in Goa, which remained under the protectorate of Portugal until the mid-20th century. Compatriots to this day highly honor the memory of the legendary navigator, and the discoveries and life of Vasco da Gama are studied in schools. A bridge in Lisbon is named in his honor, and the number of works of art dedicated to him is incalculable.

We looked at what Vasco da Gama discovered. We hope the information presented above will be useful to you.

For those who love geography, world history, or are interested in the biography of great people, the discoverer of the Sea Route is one of the iconic figures. A brief biography of the traveler and the history of an important expedition for all of Eurasia will help you get to know the person who discovered the sea route to India better.

Vasco da Gama - short biography

The history of the Portuguese navigator began in 1460 in Sines (Portugal), where he was born. His origin is attributed to a noble family, evidence of this is the prefix “yes” in his name. The father was the knight Esteva, and the mother was Isabel. Thanks to his difficult origins, the future navigator Vasco da Gama was able to receive a good education. He knew mathematics, navigation, astronomy, English. Then only these sciences were considered higher, and a person after training could be called educated.

Since all the men of that time became military men, this fate did not spare the future discoverer. In addition, the Portuguese knights were exclusively naval officers. From here is born great story the one who discovered India as a trading country with millions of different goods bringing huge profits. For those times it was a great event that changed the lives of many.

Discoveries in Geography

Before Vasco da Gama made the world-changing discovery of India, he distinguished himself for his military exploits. For example, in 1492, he freed a ship captured by French corsairs, which greatly pleased the king, and then became a close officer of the monarch. Thus, he had the opportunity to enjoy privileges that helped him further travel and discoveries, the most important of which was a visit to India. A brief summary of the Sea Route will help you better understand what Vasco da Gama discovered.

The Journey of Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama's expedition to India was a truly big step for the whole of Europe. The idea of ​​​​establishing trade relations with the country belonged to Emperor Manuel I, and he began to carefully choose a commander who could make such an important journey. He had to be not only a good naval officer, but also an excellent organizer. Bartolomeo Dias was the first to be chosen for this role, but everything turned out differently.

A fleet of 4 ships was created for the waters of Africa and the Indian Ocean, collected best cards and instruments for precise navigation. Peru Alenker, a man who had already sailed to the Cape of Good Hope, was appointed chief navigator, and this is the first part of the journey. The task of the expedition was to pave the way from Africa to India by sea. On the ships were a priest, an astronomer, a scribe and translators different languages. Everything was excellent with the food: even during preparation, the ships were filled with crackers, corned beef, and porridge. Water, fish and goodies were obtained during stops on different coasts.

On July 8, 1497, the expedition began its movement from Lisbon and set off on a long sea voyage along the coast of Europe and Africa. Already at the end of November, the team managed with difficulty to round the Cape of Good Hope and send their ships to the northeast, to India. On the way they met both friends and enemies, they had to fight back with bombards or, on the contrary, enter into agreements against their enemies. On May 20, 1498 the ships entered the first city of India, Calicut.

Discovery of the Vasco da Gama Sea Route

A real victory for the geography of that time was the discovery of the route to India by Vasco da Gama. When in August 1499 he returned to native land, he was greeted like a king - very solemnly. Since then, trips for Indian goods have become regular, and the famous navigator himself went there more than once. In addition, others began to believe that this could be the way to get to Australia. In India, the navigator was no longer a simple guest, but received a title and colonized some lands. For example, the popular resort of Goa remained a Portuguese colony until the mid-20th century.

Vasco da Gama short biography traveler is presented in this article. You will find out what Vasco da Gama did and what Vasco da Gama discovered.

Vasco da Gama short biography

Vasco da Gama- Portuguese navigator of the era of great geographical discoveries. He opened the way to India. Vasco da Gama held many titles. He was the commander-in-chief of the expedition that discovered India, and was given the title of 6th Governor of Portuguese India and 2nd Viceroy of India.

The exact date of birth of the traveler is unknown, but biographers believe that it is 1460 or 1469. The great navigator was born in Sines in the family of a Portuguese knight. Vasco da Gama became known in 1492 when he returned a Portuguese caravel with gold stolen by French corsairs.

In 1497, the Portuguese government sent him to search for 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 sought to establish trade relations with India as quickly as possible. Initially, Vasco da Gama's ships were carried by the current to Columbus's "India", that is, towards Brazil. However, the traveler was not interested. He returned to the intended route, thus becoming the true discoverer of the sea route from Western Europe to India. In 1498, da Gama's ships landed at the largest Arab-Swahili port in 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, landing 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.

Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India around Africa (1497-99)

́sko da Ga ́ ma ( Vasco da Gama, 1460-1524) - famous Portuguese navigator of the Great Age Geographical Discoveries. He was the first to open the sea route to India (1497-99) around Africa. He served as governor and viceroy of Portuguese India.

Strictly speaking, Vasco da Gama was not a pure navigator and discoverer, like, for example, Caen, Dias or Magellan. He did not have to convince the powers that be of the feasibility and profitability of his project, like Christopher Columbus. Vasco da Gama was simply “appointed as the discoverer of the sea route to India.” The leadership of Portugal represented by King Manuel I created for yes Gama such conditions that it was simply a sin for him not to open the road to India.

Vasco da Gama / brief curriculum vitae/

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1460 (69) in Sines, Portugal

Baptized

Monument to Vasco da Gama near the church where he was baptized

Parents

Father: Portuguese knight Esteva da Gama. Mother: Isabel Sodre. In addition to Vasco, the family had 5 brothers and one sister.

Origin

", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> The Gama family, judging by the prefix “yes,” was noble. According to historians, he may not be the most famous in Portugal, but still quite ancient and having served his country. Alvaro Annis da Gama served under King Afonso III , distinguished himself in battles against the Moors, for which he was knighted.

Education

There is no exact data, but according to indirect evidence, he received an education in mathematics, navigation and astronomy in Évora. Apparently, according to Portuguese standards, a person who mastered these sciences was considered educated, and not one who “speaks French and plays the piano.”

Occupation

Descent did not give much choice to the Portuguese nobles. Since he is a nobleman and a knight, he must be a military man. And in Portugal, knighthood had its own connotation - all the knights were naval officers.

What he became famous for Vasco da Gama before his trip to India

In 1492, French corsairs () captured a caravel with gold traveling from Guinea to Portugal. The Portuguese king instructed Vasco da Gama to go along the French coast and capture all the ships in the roadsteads of French ports. The young knight completed the task quickly and efficiently, after which the French king Charles VIII there was nothing left to do but return the seized ship to its rightful owners. Thanks to this raid on the French rear, Vasco da Gama became “a figure close to the emperor.” Decisiveness and organizational skills opened up good prospects for him.

Who replaced Juan II in 1495 Manuel I continued the work of overseas expansion of Portugal and began to prepare a large and serious expedition to open a sea route to India. By all merits, such an expedition should, of course, be led. But the new expedition needed not so much a navigator as an organizer and a military man. The king's choice fell on Vasco da Gama.

Overland route to India

In parallel with the search for a sea route to India, Juan II tried to find a land route there. ", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> North Africa was in the hands of the enemy - the Moors. To the south was the Sahara Desert. And here south of the desert one could try to penetrate the East and reach India. In 1487, an expedition was organized under the leadership of Peru da Covilha and Afonso de Paivu. Covilha managed to reach India and, as historians write, convey to his homeland a report that India Maybe reach by sea around Africa. This was confirmed by Moorish merchants who traded in areas of northeast Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, Ceylon and India.

In 1488, Bartolomeo Dias circumnavigated the southern tip of Africa.

With such trump cards, the road to India was almost in the hands of King Juan II.

But fate had its own way. Kingdue to the death of his heir, he almost lost interest in politics pro-Indian expansion. Preparations for the expedition stalled, but the ships were already designed and laid down. They were built under the leadership and taking into account the opinion of Bartolomeo Dias.

João II died in 1495. He was succeeded by Manuel I did not immediately concentrate his attention on rushing to India. But life, as they say, forced us and preparations for the expedition continued.

Preparation of the first expedition Vasco da Gama

Ships

Four ships were built especially for this expedition to India. “San Gabriel” (flagship ship), “San Rafael” under the command of Vasco da Gama’s brother, Paulo, which were the so-called “nao” - large three-masted ships with a displacement of 120-150 tons with rectangular sails; "Berriu" is a light and maneuverable caravel with oblique sails and captain Nicolau Coelho. And the “Nameless” transport is a ship (whose name has not been preserved by history), which served to transport supplies, spare parts and goods for exchange trade.

Navigation

The expedition had at its disposal the best maps and navigation instruments of that time. Peru Alenker, an outstanding sailor who had previously sailed to the Cape of Good Hope with Dias, was appointed chief navigator. In addition to the main crew, there were a priest, a clerk, an astronomer on board, as well as several translators who knew Arabic and the native languages ​​of equatorial Africa. Total number The crew, according to various estimates, ranged from 100 to 170 people.

This is the tradition

It’s funny that the organizers took convicted criminals on board all the expeditions. To carry out particularly dangerous assignments. A sort of ship fine. If God willing, you return alive from the voyage, they will set you free.

Food and salary

Since the time of the Dias expedition, the presence of a storage ship in the expedition has shown its effectiveness. The “warehouse” stored not only spare parts, firewood and rigging, goods for commercial exchange, but also provisions. The team was usually fed with crackers, porridge, corned beef, and given some wine. Fish, greens, fresh water, fresh meat was obtained along the way at stops.

Sailors and officers on the expedition received cash salaries. No one swam “for the fog” or for the love of adventure.

Armament

By the end of the 15th century, naval artillery was already quite advanced and ships were built taking into account the placement of guns. Two "NAOs" had 20 guns on board, and the caravel had 12 guns. The sailors were armed with a variety of bladed weapons, halberds and crossbows, and had protective leather armor and metal cuirasses. Effective and convenient personal firearms did not yet exist at that time, so historians do not mention anything about them.

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They walked the usual route south along Africa, only off the coast of Sierra Leone, on the advice of Bartolomeo Dias, they turned southwest to avoid headwinds. (Diash himself, on a separate ship, separated from the expedition and headed to the fortress of São Jorge da Mina, of which Manuel appointed him commandant I .) Having made a huge detour to the Atlantic Ocean, the Portuguese soon saw African soil again.

On November 4, 1497, the ships dropped anchor in the bay, which was given the name St. Helena. Here Vasco da Gama ordered a stop for repairs. However, the team soon came into conflict with local residents and an armed clash occurred. The well-armed sailors did not suffer serious losses, but Vasco da Gama himself was wounded in the leg by an arrow.

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At the end of November 1497, the flotilla, after a multi-day storm, with great difficulty rounded the Cape of Storms (aka), after which it had to stop for repairs in the bay Mossel Bay. The cargo ship was so badly damaged that it was decided to burn it. The ship's crew members reloaded supplies and moved on to other ships themselves. Here, having met the natives, the Portuguese were able to purchase food and jewelry from them. Ivory in exchange for the goods they took with them. The flotilla then moved further northeast along the African coast.

", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> On December 16, 1497 the expedition passed the last padran, set by Dias in 1488. Then, for almost a month, the voyage continued without incident. Now the ships were sailing along the eastern coast of Africa to the north-northeast. Let us say right away that these were not wild or uninhabited regions at all. Since ancient times, the eastern coast of Africa was a sphere of influence and trade of Arab merchants, so that local sultans and pashas knew about the existence of Europeans (unlike the natives of Central America, who met Columbus and his comrades as messengers from heaven).

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The expedition slowed down and made a stop in Mozambique, but did not find common language with the local administration. The Arabs immediately sensed competitors in the Portuguese and began to put spokes in the wheels. Vasco fired bombards at the inhospitable coast and moved on. By the end February the expedition approached the trading port Mombasa, then to Malindi. A local sheikh, who was at war with Mombasa, greeted the Portuguese as allies with bread and salt. He entered into an alliance with the Portuguese against a common enemy. In Malindi, the Portuguese met Indian merchants for the first time. With great difficulty, they found a pilot for good money. It was he who brought da Gama’s ships to the Indian shores.

The first Indian city that the Portuguese set foot in was Calicut (present day Kozhikode). ", BGCOLOR, "#ffffff", FONTCOLOR, "#333333", BORDERCOLOR, "Silver", WIDTH, "100%", FADEIN, 100, FADEOUT, 100)"> Zamorin (apparently - mayor?) Calicut greeted the Portuguese very solemnly. But Muslim traders, sensing something was wrong with their business, began to plot against the Portuguese. Therefore, things were going badly for the Portuguese, the exchange of goods was unimportant, and the Zamorin behaved extremely inhospitably. Vasco Da Gama had a serious conflict with him. But be that as it may, the Portuguese still traded a lot of spices and some jewelry for their benefit. Somewhat discouraged by this reception and the meager commercial profit, Vasco da Gama bombarded the city with cannons, took hostages and sailed from Calicut. Having walked a little north, he tried to establish a trading post in Goa, but he also failed.

Without taking a sip, Vasco da Gama turned his flotilla towards home. His mission, in principle, was completed - the sea route to India was open. Was ahead big job to consolidate Portuguese influence in new territories, which is what his followers and Vasco da Gama himself later did.

The return voyage was no less adventurous. The expedition had to fend off Somali pirates (). It was unbearably hot. People weakened and died from epidemics. On January 2, 1499, da Gama's ships approached the city Mogadishu, which was fired from bombards as a distraction.

On January 7, 1499, they again visited the almost native Malindi, where they rested a little and came to their senses. Within five days, thanks to good food and fruit provided by the sheikh, the sailors came to their senses and the ships moved on. On January 13, one of the ships had to be burned at a site south of Mombasa. On January 28 we passed the island of Zanzibar. On February 1, we made a stop at the island of Sao Jorge near Mozambique. On March 20 we rounded the Cape of Good Hope. On April 16, a fair wind carried the ships to the Cape Verde Islands. The Portuguese were here, considered at home.

From the Cape Verde Islands, Vasco da Gama sent forward one ship, which on July 10 delivered news of the success of the expedition to Portugal. The captain-commander himself was delayed due to the illness of his brother Paulo. And only in August (or September) 1499, Vasco da Gama solemnly arrived in Lisbon.

Only two ships and 55 crew returned home. However, from a financial point of view, Vasco da Gama's expedition was extremely successful - the proceeds from the sale of goods brought from India were 60 times higher than the costs of the expedition itself.

Merits of Vasco da Gama Manuel I noted royally. The discoverer of the road to India received the title of don, land plots and a substantial pension.

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Thus ended another great voyage of the Age of Great Geographical Discovery. Our hero received fame and material wealth. Became the king's advisor. More than once sailed to India, where he held important posts and promoted Portuguese interests. Vasco da Gama died there, on the blessed land of India at the end of 1524. By the way, the Portuguese colony he founded in Goa, on the west coast of India, remained Portuguese territory until the second half of the twentieth century.

The Portuguese honor the memory of their legendary compatriot, and the longest bridge in Europe across the mouth of the Tagus River in Lisbon was named in his honor.

Padran

This is what the Portuguese called the pillars that they installed on the new open lands in order to “stake out” territory for themselves. They wrote in padrans. who opened this place and when. Padrans were most often made from stones for display purposes. that Portugal came to this place seriously and for a long time

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Travelers of the Age of Great Geographical Discovery

Russian travelers and pioneers