A gallery prepared by: Adrianna Owcarz

During today's lesson I will tell you about Vasco da Gamma. This is his story... It is interesting. Who was he? …

Vasco da Gamma was born in 1469 in Sines in Portugal. It is little known about his youth. Vasco da Gamma came from a noble family. His father was a Governor of Sines and the city judge, his mother came from England. Vasco was their third son.

He studied in Lisbon. In 1484 he bacame a sailor. He studied the anatomy and navigating at the school in Evor. In 1492 he commanded the defence of the Portuguese colony against French.

In the early fifteenth century the Portuguese school of navigation, of prince Henry Sailors, contributed to widening knowledge of Africa. At the beginning of 60s XV century sailors wanted to gain the access to India which was full of pepper and other spices.

On 8th July 1497 Vasco da Gamma left Lisbon with four ships (Sao Gabriel, Sao Rafael, Berrio and a transport ship of unknown name) and 160 crew people. They headed India. In the Ermida to Restelo chapel, Vasco da Gama and his crew prayed at the night before departure. On the way back many members of the crew died on the scurvy. Only 55 people reached Portugal. After his return to Portugal in September 1499, Vasco da Gamma was generously awarded as a man who managed to complete the plan which implementation took eight years. He received the title of "Admiral of Indian seas".

On 12th February 1502 he sailed back to India at the head of the fleet consisting of twenty ships. He wanted to enforce Portuguese interests in India.

He died on 24th December 1524 in Kroczno. The sarcophagus of Vasco's remains is in the monastery in the suburb of Lisbon.

I think that he was a remarkable man. You already know who Vasco da Gama was. I hope you enjoyed the story.

 produced by Adrianna Owcarz  ZS G i SP nr 13  Zawiercie, Poland