Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama Circumnavigates Africa in Route to India

When King John II died, his son Manuel took his place. In 1497, King Manuel tasked Vasco da Gama to sail around the tip of Africa to India. King Manuel wanted an alternative route to India because the Muslims controlled trade with India. They heavily taxed Portuguese ships but if Portuguese ships could avoid the Muslims then the king's profits would greatly increase.

The Portuguese knew that sailing around the Cape of Good Hope–Cabo da Boa Esperança in Portuguese–, at the tip of Africa, was possible because almost a decade prior, Bartholomew Dias had done so. Dias advised da Gama on the construction of his ships and sailed with him from Portugal to the Cape of Good Hope. Gama had four ships–caravels–for this voyage: São Gabriel (120-ton), São Rafael (120-ton), the Berrio (50-ton), and an unnamed 200-ton cargo ship.

Fig 2: Vasco daGama's ship Sao Gabriel

Vasco da Gama Route

The currents around the southern African coast were very strong and gave Dais a lot of trouble on his first voyage around the Cape. Da Gama brought his ships east into the Atlantic Ocean then swung them in to go around the cape. This tactic avoided the difficult currents altogether!

Fig 3: Da Gama Voyage Map

Once around the Cape of Good Hope, da Gamma stopped in a few African countries to resupply. He then landed in Calicut, India. Da Gama was the first European to make this voyage!

The Portuguese crew mistook the Hindu Indians for Christians. Then when they met the ruler of Calicut, they offered him gifts that he considered cheap. This could be the reason why Da Gama was unable to strike a trade deal with the ruler. He left Calicut with only some spices to show the value of his trade route. King Manuel sent Pedro Alvares to establish a trade deal with Calicut. Alvares was successful but belligerent with the Indians and Muslims.

Da Gama received a hero's welcome when he returned to Portugal. This gave Portugal the ability to establish colonies along the African and Indian coasts. It also thrust Portugal into the Global Age of Imperialism. Though da Gama accomplished so much, it was at the sacrifice of his crew. Only 54 of the 127 sailors returned home. While at sea, the carvel São Rafael was burnt to contain the spread of scurvy.

Vasco da Gama's Indian Operation in Calicut

Indians had attacked and murdered the Portuguese who Alvares left behind at trading ports in India. Enraged, King Manual created a fleet of twenty ships and made da Gama admiral in 1502. Ten of these ships were directly under the control of da Gama while the others were indirectly under his control.

Da Gama stopped at Kilwa which was a Muslim-controlled island port. He threatened to burn the port to the ground if the ruler did not swear loyalty to King Manuel. The ruler swore loyalty and the fleet sailed on.

Before reaching Calicut, da Gama began privateering. He targeted Muslim ships. One of these ships was making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Da Gamma captured the ship and looted it. He then ordered that all of the passengers, some of which were women and children, be locked beneath the deck. Da Gamma had the ship burned which killed all four hundred people trapped on board. It took three full days to sink.

When da Gama reached Calicut, the ruler wanted to make peace but da Gama refused. He had his crew murder thirty Indian fishermen who had rowed their way to da Gama's fleet to sell their goods. Da Gama allied himself with Calicut's enemies and continued to wreak havoc on the Indians and Muslims. Eventually, he signed a treaty with Calicut's leader and then returned to Portugal.

Return to Portugal

After his trips to India, da Gama had earned the titles of Admiral to the Indian Ocean and Dom. Da Gama was given lands where he could tax the people who lived there. He was also an advisor to King Manuel.

King Manuel died and his son John III took over. The trading ports in India had become corrupt to the extreme. So King John III sent da Gama–Count of Vidigueira since 1519–to India in 1524 as viceroy and commissioned him with its administration. Once in India, da Gama began weeding out the corruption but he fell ill and died later that year. Da Gama's body was sent back to Portugal.

Vasco da Gama Accomplishments

Fig 4: Vasco Da Gama

Vasco da Gama was the first European to sail from Europe around Africa and to India. This was quite the accomplishment but would mean nothing if da Gama had not secured a trade deal with Calicut. When he made that treaty da Gama opened trade between Portugal and India. This made Portugal a lead supplier of luxury goods to the rest of Europe. The profit that Portugal earned made them a formidable world power.

It is important to remember that while da Gama was considered a hero in Portugal, he is a villain in Indian history. Da Gama left a trail of destruction as he sailed to Calicut. He murdered men, women, and children. For him, it did not matter if a person was a civilian or a soldier as long as he accomplished his objectives. Like many European explorers of the time, his legacy is one of trade and discovery as well as colonization and cruelty.