Who was Vasco da Gama?

Vasco da Gama ( ) was a Portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East. Da Gama rounded Africa's Cape of Good Hope on November 22, and continued on to India. After many stops in Africa, and problems with Muslim traders who did not want interference in their profitable trade routes, da Gama reached Calicut, India on May 20, Da Gama rounded Africa's Cape of Good Hope on November 22, and continued on to India. After many stops in Africa, and problems with Muslim traders who did not want interference in their profitable trade routes, da Gama reached Calicut, India on May 20, 1498.

Da Gama left India on August 29, 1498, after he was told to pay a large tax and leave all of his trading goods. When he left, da Gama took his goods with him, together with some Indian hostages. Vasco da Gama

Da Gama returned to Lisbon, Portugal, in September, Along the way many crew members died from scurvy (a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin C). Upon his return, da Gama was treated as a hero and was rewarded by the king. SCURVY Scurvy did not emerge as a problem for explorers until vessels started penetrating the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. Vasco da Gama lost two thirds of his crew to the disease while making his way to India in In 1520 Magellan lost more than 80 percent while crossing the Pacific.

Scurvy came to public notice in Britain after Commodore George Anson led a squadron into the Pacific in the 1740s to raid Spanish shipping. He lost all but one of his six ships, and two thirds of the crews he shipped (700 survived out of an original complement of 2000), most of them to scurvy. Their symptoms were vividly described by Richard Walter, the chaplain who wrote up the official account of the voyage. Here were descriptions of its ghastly traces: skin black as ink, ulcers, difficult respiration, rictus of the limbs, teeth falling out and, perhaps most revolting of all, a strange plethora of gum tissue sprouting out of the mouth, which immediately rotted and lent the victim's breath an abominable odour.

King Manuel I of Portugal then sent da Gama, on another expedition to India ( ). On this second trip, da Gama took 20 armed ships (anticipating problems from Muslim traders). On this voyage, da Gama killed hundreds of Muslims in order to demonstrate his power. King Manuel I

After King Manuel's death, King John III sent da Gama to India as a Portuguese viceroy (the King's representative in India). Vasco da Gama died of an illness in India on December 24, 1524; his remains were returned to Portugal for burial. Vasco da Gama King John III King John III of Portugal of Portugal