Perhaps not a single navigator is covered with such scandalous fame as Vasco da Gama. If he had not paved the way to India, then, I think, he would have remained one of the unknown conquistadors in history.
Who is Vasco da Gama and why is he famous?
The main achievement of this man is laying a sea route to the shores of the cherished India, which made him a hero among his compatriots. It is believed that he was born between 1460 and 1470 (the exact date is unknown). He grew up in a wealthy family, but was considered a bastard and could not claim an inheritance, because, for unknown reasons, his mother and father were not engaged. In 1481, he became a student of the school of mathematics and astronomy, and the next 12 years remained a mystery to historians. In 1493, he led a Portuguese sally to the coast of France, and successfully captured all the ships that were at anchor. But the real feats were waiting for him ahead.
Swimming Vasco da Gama
In 1498, he was appointed to lead an expedition to the "country of spices", and on July 8 of the same year, 3 ships left the port of Portugal:
- "Berriu";
- "San Gabriel";
- "San Rafael".
After some time, they successfully circled Africa and moved north in search of a guide. Having reached the settlements of the Arabs, Vasco tricked experienced pilots who showed the way, and already in May 1499 he set foot on the coast of India. I must say that the Portuguese did not show themselves in the best way - they took hostage the wealthy citizens of Calicut, and then simply plundered the city. In mid-September 1500, the ships returned to Portugal, almost 100 times recouping all costs!
In 1503, Vasco, already on 20 ships, led the second expedition, which arrived safely in Kannanur. And again, the Portuguese distinguished themselves by bloodshed and cruelty, and made part of the occupied territory a colony of Portugal. A year later, they returned back to Lisbon, where Vasco da Gama was awarded the title of count. Shortly before his death, he went to India for the 3rd time, where he died of illness, and in 1523 his body was taken to Portugal.
Gama (da Gama), Vasco da Gama (1469, Sines, Portugal, - 12/24/1524, Cochin, India), Portuguese navigator, admiral (1502), who completed the search for a sea route from Europe to India. The first expedition was undertaken in July 1497 on 3 ships (San Gabriel, San Rafael, Berriu) and a small transport. ship. Crew - 168 people. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope in November, the ships reached the harbor of Malindi to the east. coast of Africa, where Gama took an experienced Arab helmsman Ahmed ibn Majid, who helped the Portuguese ships cross the Indian Ocean. On May 20, 1498, they arrived at the Indian shores near the city of Calicut. Gama established trade and diplomas, connections with the ruler of the city and at the end of August 1498 sailed home with a cargo of spices. The return voyage took place in difficult conditions and lasted more than a year. In September 1499, Gama returned to Lisbon with only 55 men. As a result of this voyage, a sea route was laid from Europe to South Asia. In 1502-1503, Gama undertook a second expedition on 20 ships with a detachment of infantry and cannons in order to capture trade and strategic points in India. With great cruelty, Gama suppressed the resistance of local rulers, subjected the city of Calicut to barbaric bombardment, founded a number of trading posts and built the fortress of Cochin. The last, third, expedition was organized by Gama in 1524, after he was appointed Viceroy India. In the same year, Gama died at his residence in Cochin. His remains were transported to Portugal. The opening of the sea route to India is one of the most important geographical discoveries. Gama's expeditions to India served as the beginning of the colonial policy of Europeans in Africa and Asia.
Used materials of the Soviet military encyclopedia in 8 volumes, volume 2: Babylon - Civil War in North America. 640 p., 1976.
Pioneer of the sea route to India
Gama (gama) Vasco da (1469–1524), Portuguese navigator, pioneer of the sea route in India, one of the discoverers of Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. In 1497-1499 he led an expedition to explore the Indian sea route. The opening of this route was one of the greatest events in the history of world trade. Portugal, having received the key to eastern navigation, turned into the strongest maritime power in the 16th century, monopolized trade with South and East Asia and held it until the defeat of the Invincible Armada (1588). The geographical results of the first voyage were also very significant: the first ever crossing along the meridian of the Central and South Atlantic between 10 ° N. sh. and 30°S sh., which proved that along the line of the route dl. 4200 km there are neither significant lands nor large islands; discovery of 2000 km of the eastern coast of Africa with the mouth of the Limpopo and the Zambezi estuary. As a result of the second voyage (1502-03), Gama delivered a cargo of spices of great value to his homeland, received the title of Count of Vidigueira, but due to the deceit and cruelty shown during his journey, he was removed from all activities for many years. In 1524, the monarch appointed Gama Viceroy of India, where he soon died.
Modern illustrated encyclopedia. Geography. Rosman-Press, M., 2006.
Navigator
Gama Vasco de (1460/69-1524) - Portuguese navigator of the Age of Discovery. In 1497 he led the first expedition of three ships to open a sea route from Europe to India. This expedition was of world significance. On a second expedition in 1502, he discovered the islands of Ascension and Saint Helena. Gumilyov considers Vasca da Gama as a certain ideal of an era when the hero does not forget himself. This ideal, being brave, is frankly mercenary, and no one blames him for this; on the contrary, it causes admiration and approval. Thus, the scientist concludes that an ideal that varies in a certain direction is an indicator of the mood of the team. And these moods reflect a deeper essence - a change in the stereotype of behavior, which is the real basis of the ethnic nature of human collective existence ("Ethnogenesis and the Biosphere of the Earth", 132).
Quoted from: Lev Gumilyov. Encyclopedia. / Ch. ed. E.B. Sadykov, comp. T.K. Shanbai, - M., 2013, p. 167.
Sailing map of Vasco da Gama.
Vasco da Gama (1469 - December 24, 1524) - Portuguese navigator who completed the search for a sea route from Europe to India. In the 15th century, the Portuguese discovered the entire western coast of Africa, in 1487-1488 Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope and entered the Indian Ocean. Thus, by the end of the 15th century, a through sea route to India was finally outlined. In 1496, the Portuguese king Manuel set about organizing an expedition, which was to master the last, still unknown to the Portuguese, segment of this route - from the Cape of Good Hope to Calicut. At the head of this expedition was Vasco da Gama, a native of the southern Portuguese seaside town of Sines, an experienced sailor who had proven himself in decisive action in a military campaign against French pirates. An expedition consisting of 3 ships ("San Gabriel", "San Rafael", "Berriu") and a small transport vessel left Lisbon on July 8, 1497, rounded the Cape of Good Hope on November 22, 1497 and arrived in Somalia in mid-April 1498. harbor of Malindi. Here, the Arab helmsman Ahmed ibn Majid, who knew the routes in the South Asian seas, was taken on board. He, taking advantage of the favorable monsoon, on May 20, 1498, led the ships of the flotilla to Calicut. Vasco da Gama established trade and diplomatic relations with the ruler of Calicut (which was prevented by Arab merchants) and set off on the return journey with a cargo of spices at the end of August 1498. In September 1499 the expedition returned to Lisbon; out of 168 participants, only 55 returned. This voyage of Vasco da Gama was of world-historical significance. For the first time, a sea route was laid to the countries of South Asia, which ended up in the sphere of the colonial expansion of Portugal. In 1502, Vasco da Gama, at the head of an armada of 20 ships, made the 2nd voyage to the shores of Malabar. Vasco da Gama ravaged Calicut, founded a number of strongholds in Malabar, brutally crushed the resistance of local rulers, and returned to Lisbon in 1503 with huge booty. In 1524, Vasco da Gama was appointed Viceroy of India.
I. M. Light. Moscow.
Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 2. BAAL - WASHINGTON. 1962.
Literature: Kunin K., Vasco da Gama, (M.), 1947; Hart G., Sea route to India, trans. from English, M, 1954; Shumovsky T. A., Three unknown pilots of Ahmad ibn Majid, the Arab pilot Vasco da Gama, M.-L., 1957.
From the pre-revolutionary encyclopedia:
Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), later Count of Vidigueira, famous Portuguese. navigator, born OK. 1469 in the seaside town of Sines, he was a descendant of an old noble family and from his youth enjoyed a reputation as a brave sailor. Already in 1486, the expedition, under the command of Bartolomeo Diaz, discovered the southern tip of Africa, which received the name of Cape Storms from Diaz. King John II ordered that the Cape of Storms be called the Cape of Good Hope, since he believed that its discovery could lead to the search for a sea route to India, about which there were already rumors from pilgrims who visited the Holy Land, from merchants and from people who were sent by the king for reconnaissance. Little by little, a plan was ripening to establish direct trade relations with India: until then, Indian goods penetrated into Europe from Cairo and Alexandria through Venice. King Emmanuel the Great equipped a squadron and entrusted Vasco da Gama with command of it, with the authority to conclude alliances and treaties and buy goods. The flotilla consisted of 3 ships; the crew and soldiers were only 170 people; the people chosen for this expedition had previously been trained in various necessary trades.
The skippers were assigned to those who accompanied Bartolomeo Diaz. For barter with savages, it was necessary to take a large supply of beads, mirrors, colored glass, etc., for elders - more valuable gifts. July 7th, 1497; with a huge gathering of people, the V. flotilla sailed from Lisbon. Everything went well until Cape Verde, but then adverse winds began to slow down the movement to the south, a leak opened in the ships; the crew began to grumble and demanded a return to Portugal. V. insisted on continuing the voyage. On November 21, 1497, the expedition rounded the Cape of Good Hope and turned north. A second violent storm broke out; people suffered from fear, hunger and disease and conspired to shackle V., return to their homeland and come to the king with a confession. V. found out about this and ordered the instigators of the conspiracy (including the skippers) to be chained, threw the quadrants into the sea and announced that henceforth their skipper would be God alone. At the sight of such energetic orders, the frightened team resigned itself. When the storm subsided, they made a stop to repair the ships, and it turned out that one of them had become completely unusable, so they had to burn it. A fair wind carried the rest of the ships to the North. On the banks of the Natal, the Portuguese first saw the natives and exchanged gifts with them. A Moor entered the service of V., who knew the way to India; he was of great use with his advice and guidance. On March 1, 1498, V. arrived in Mozambique, where he established relations with the inhabitants, at first very friendly; the sheikh of the local tribe agreed to barter and gave pilots; but the Moors soon recognized in the Portuguese the same people who for many years, on the opposite side of Africa, had waged a merciless war against the Mohammedans. Religious fanaticism was joined by the fear of losing the monopoly of trade with India; the Moors tried to restore the sheikh against the Portuguese, who ordered his pilots to land the ships on the reefs. When this failed, they began to prevent V. from stocking up on fresh water. These circumstances forced V. to leave the inhospitable shores. In Mombasa (on the Zanzibar coast), as a result of a warning from the sheikh, the Portuguese were given a reception similar to that of Mozambique; only in Melinda (3rd south latitude) were sailors welcomed cordially. After the exchange of gifts, assurances of friendship, mutual visits (V. da Gama himself ventured to go ashore, which he did not do in other places), the Portuguese, having received a reliable pilot, set off further. On May 20, they saw Calicut (11-15 "north latitude, on the Malabar coast), the center of trade for the entire eastern coast of Africa; Arabia, the Persian Gulf and Hindustan. For several centuries, the Moors were the real rulers of Hindustan; by humane treatment, he managed to inspire the love of the natives and their kings. The Calicut king considered it beneficial to have an alliance with the Europeans, who sent him magnificent gifts and began to buy spices without bargaining and without analyzing the quality; but the Moors, by slander and bribery of those close to the king, did their best to denigrate the Europeans in his eyes. When they did not succeed, they wanted to irritate V. by repeated insults and even by arresting V. for two days and force him to take up arms; but V., feeling too weak to fight, endured everything and hastened to leave Calicut. The ruler of Kananara considered it best not to quarrel with the future rulers of India (an ancient prophecy spoke of conquerors from the West) and made an alliance with them. After that, the flotilla set off on its return journey, carefully exploring and mapping the outlines of the African coast; The Cape of Good Hope was safely rounded, but near Guinea again various difficulties began, which V.'s brother, Paolo da Gama, who commanded one of the ships, could not bear; he. was a universal favorite, a real knight without fear and reproach. In September 1499, V. returned to Lisbon with 50 crew members and 2 dilapidated ships loaded with pepper and spices, the income from which covered all the expenses of the expedition in excess.
King Emmanuel immediately (1500), sent to India, led by Pedro Alvarez Cabral , the second flotilla, which already consisted of 13 sailing ships, with 1500 people. crew to establish Portuguese colonies. But the Portuguese, with their excessive greed, inept and inhumane treatment of the natives, aroused general hatred; they were refused to obey; in Calicut, about 40 Portuguese were killed, and their trading post was destroyed. Cabral returned in 1501. The monopoly of maritime trade with India made Lisbon an important city in a short time; it was necessary to keep it in their hands - therefore, hastily (in 1502) they equipped a flotilla of 20 ships and subordinated it to Gama. He safely reached the eastern coast of Africa, concluded trade agreements with Mozambique and Sofala, left factors there; in Kiloa, he lured the king to the ship, threatened to capture him and burn the city, forced him to recognize the protectorate of Portugal, pay an indemnity and build a fortress. Approaching Hindustan, V. divided the fleet into several parts; several small ships were overtaken and plundered, several towns were bombarded and ruined; one large ship sailing from Calicut is boarded, plundered and sunk, and the people are slaughtered. Fear gripped the entire coast, everyone humbled themselves before a strong enemy; even the ruler of Calicut sent several times to ask for peace. But V., gentle with submissive kings, pursued the enemies of Portugal with merciless cruelty and decided to avenge the death of his compatriots: he blockaded the city, almost destroyed it by bombardment, burned all the ships in the harbor and destroyed the fleet equipped to resist the Portuguese. Having built a trading post-fortress in Kananar and leaving people and part of the fleet there with an order to cruise near the coast and harm Calicut as much as possible, V. returned to his homeland on December 20, 1503 with 13 richly loaded ships. While V. enjoyed well-deserved peace in his homeland (although there are indications that he was in charge of Indian affairs), five viceroys ruled one after another over the Portuguese possessions in India; management of the last of them, Edward da Menezes, was so unfortunate that King John III decided to send V. again to the arena of his former exploits. The new viceroy sailed (1524) with 14 ships, with a brilliant retinue, 200 guards and other attributes of power. In India, with firmness and perseverance, he began to eradicate covetousness, embezzlement, licentiousness of morals and a careless attitude towards the interests of the state. In order to successfully combat light Arab ships, he built several of the same type of ships, forbade private individuals to trade without royal permission, and tried to attract as many people as possible to maritime service with benefits. In the midst of this vigorous activity, he fell ill and on December 24, 1524, he died in Kohima. In 1538, his remains were transported to Portugal solemnly interred in the town of Vidigueira. His two sons were also famous sailors. V. was an honest and incorruptible man, combining determination with caution, but at the same time arrogant; sometimes brutal to the point of brutality. Purely practical goals, not a thirst for knowledge, guided his discoveries. The history of his expeditions is told by Barros, Caspar Koppea, Osorio (historian of Emmanuel the Great) and Castanleda. In the city of Goa in the 17th century a statue was erected to him; but the most enduring monument was erected to him by Camões, in the epic Louisida. See O. Peschel, "History of the Age of Discovery" (Stuttgart, 1877, Russian translation): "Diary of the second journey of V. da Gama" (ed., translated and explained by Stir, Braunschweig, 1880).
F. Brockhaus, I.A. Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary.
Essay on life and voyages:
Vasco da Gama. Five centuries ago, Lisbon was the center of maritime research. Portuguese sailors mastered the path along the coast of Africa to the south. They also paved the sea route for Europeans to India and Southeast Asia. He led this expedition, and then the conquest of India by Vasco da Gama.
Vasco da Gama was born around 1460-1469 in the Portuguese seaside town of Sines and came from an old noble family. His father, Ishtevan da Gama, was the chief governor and judge of the cities of Sines and Silvis. His sons dreamed of adventure. Vasco from a young age participated in hostilities and sea voyages. Obviously, he had military experience, for when in 1492 the French corsairs captured the Portuguese caravel with gold, marching from Guinea to Portugal, it was he who was entrusted by the king with a responsible task. A sailor on a high-speed caravel passed along the French coast, capturing all the French ships in the raids. After that, the king of France had to return the captured ship, and Vasco da Gama became a famous person in Portugal. It is clear that it was to the experienced sailor, who was in honor, that the king Manuel I assigned an unusual task.
On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Gama's squadron of four ships with a displacement of 100-120 tons set out from Lisbon. The expedition was carefully prepared by the efforts of an experienced navigator Bartolomeu Dias, provided with everything necessary for a three-year voyage. The crews were recruited from the best sailors. In total, 168 people were to open the way to India and the Eastern Ocean by order of the King of Portugal.
The route along the coast of Africa to the Indian Ocean was laid even earlier by Portuguese navigators. Thanks to the efforts of Prince Enrique, who was fond of the idea of conquering new lands and therefore called “Henry the Navigator”, more and more expeditions left along the African coast, overcoming superstitious fears that the sea was impassable far to the south due to heat and storms. In 1419, the Portuguese rounded Cape Nome and discovered the island of Madeira. In 1434, Captain Gilles Eanish stepped beyond Cape Bojador, previously considered an insurmountable frontier. A decade later, Nuno Tristan reached Senegal, brought ten locals and sold it profitably. This began the African slave trade, which justified the cost of shipping. In subsequent years, the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands were discovered, Guinea and the Congo were annexed to the Portuguese crown, supplying slaves and gold. In 1486 Diogo Kahn's expedition reached Cape Cross. Sailors approached the southern tip of the African continent. However, the kings of Portugal were attracted by the path to the spice islands. The monopoly on the spice trade was maintained by the Arabs, who delivered pepper, cinnamon and other seasonings highly valued in Europe through the Persian Gulf and by land. On February 3, 1488, the ships of Bartolomeu Dias, who left Lisbon in August 1487 and headed for India, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and only the refusal of the starving crew to continue swimming made him return without reaching the goal. Ten years later, Vasco da Gama had to do what his predecessor had failed to do.
The swim started well. The ships passed by the Canary Islands, parted in the fog and gathered at the Cape Verde Islands. Headwinds made the further journey difficult, but Vasco da Gama turned to the southwest and, a little before reaching the then unknown Brazil, thanks to a fair wind, managed to reach the Cape of Good Hope in the most convenient way (later becoming traditional for sailboats). True, the sailors spent 93 days in the ocean and only reached the land on November 4th. The sailors met the Bushmen on the shore. Because of the conflict with them, we had to hurry to weigh anchor. The cold weather caused the crew to grumble, but the "captain-commander" was firm, and on November 22, 1497, the squadron rounded the Cape of Good Hope. After the parking, during which the Portuguese got provisions and agreed with the Bushmen, a squadron of three ships (the dilapidated transport had to be flooded) continued along the coast, establishing contacts with local tribes. On December 16, travelers saw on the shore the last pillar-padran left by Dias. Then an unknown path opened up.
This path was not easy. Due to the monotonous and insufficient food, scurvy spread among the crew members. The supply of provisions and water became difficult, because the zone of Muslim influence began. On March 2, 1498, the Portuguese arrived at the port of Mozambique, where they were almost destroyed by an Arab sheikh. On April 7, the squadron approached the port city of Mombasa, and the local sheikh also tried to take possession of the ships of the “infidels”, which, out of precaution, stopped in the raid. The Portuguese, in turn, captured the Arab ships.
April 14, walking with a fair wind, the expedition reached the rich city of Malindi. The local sheikh was an opponent of Sheikh Mombasa, he wanted to gain new allies, especially those armed with firearms, which the Arabs did not have. In addition to provisions, he provided pilots who knew the way to India. On April 24, the squadron left Malindi and on May 20 arrived at Calicut. Merchants who knew about the existence of Portugal and other European countries met in the city.
On May 28, Vasco da Gama solemnly received as an ambassador the Zamudrin Raja (Zamorin) - the ruler of Calicut. But the modest gifts of the navigators disappointed the ruler, and the information about the piracy of the Portuguese that soon reached Calicut further aggravated relations. Arab merchants tried to arouse enmity towards Christian competitors. Vasco da Gama did not receive permission to establish a trading post in Calicut. Zamorin only allowed to unload and sell goods, and then go back. He even took Vasco da Gama into custody on the shore for a while. Portuguese goods did not find a market for almost two months, and the captain-commander decided to go back. Before leaving, on August 9, he turned to the Zamorin with a letter in which he recalled the promise to send an embassy to Portugal and asked him to send several bags of spices as a gift to the king. However, the ruler of Calicut in response demanded payment of customs duties. He ordered the detention of Portuguese goods and people, accusing them of espionage. In turn, Vasco da Gama took hostage several noble Calicutians who visited the courts. When the Zamorin returned the Portuguese and part of the goods, the captain-commander sent half of the hostages ashore, and took the rest with him to look at the power of Portugal. He left the goods as a gift to the ruler of Calicut. On August 30, the squadron set off on its return journey, easily breaking away from the Indian boats that were trying to attack the Portuguese ships.
On the way back, the Portuguese captured several merchant ships. In turn, the ruler of Goa wanted to lure and capture the squadron in order to use the ships in the fight against neighbors. I had to fight off the pirates. The three-month journey to the shores of Africa was accompanied by heat and sickness of the crews. Only on January 2, 1499, the sailors saw the rich city of Mogadishu. Not daring to land with a small team, exhausted by hardships, yes Gama ordered “for warning” to bombard the city from bombards. On January 7, the sailors arrived in Malindi, where in five days, thanks to good food and fruits provided by the sheikh, the sailors got stronger. But all the same, the crews were so reduced that on January 13, one of the ships had to be burned in the parking lot south of Mombasa. On January 28 they passed the island of Zanzibar, and on February 1 they made a stop at the island of Sao Jorge, off Mozambique, on March 20 they rounded the Cape of Good Hope. On April 16, a tailwind carried the ships to the Cape Verde Islands. From there, Vasco da Gama sent a ship forward, which on July 10 brought news of the success of the expedition to Portugal. The captain-commander himself was delayed due to his brother's illness. Only on September 18, 1499, Vasco da Gama solemnly returned to Lisbon.
Only two ships and 55 people returned. At the cost of the death of the rest, the path to South Asia around Africa was opened. Already in 1500-1501, the Portuguese began trading with India, then, using armed force, they founded their strongholds on the territory of the peninsula, and in 1511 they captured Malacca, the true country of spices.
The king, upon his return, awarded Vasco da Gama the title of “don”, as a representative of the nobility, and a pension of 1000 crusades. However, he sought to be made lord of the city of Sines. Since the matter dragged on, the king appeased the ambitious traveler by increasing his pension, and in 1502, before the second voyage, he awarded the title - "Admiral of the Indian Ocean" - with all honors and privileges.
Meanwhile, the expeditions of Cabral and João da Nova, who went to the shores of India, encountered the resistance of local rulers. To establish fortifications in India and subdue the country, King Manuel sent a squadron led by Vasco da Gama. The expedition included twenty ships, of which the Admiral of the Indian Ocean had ten; five were to hinder Arab maritime trade in the Indian Ocean, and five more, under the command of the admiral's nephew, Istvan da Gama, were intended to guard the trading posts.
The expedition set out on February 10, 1502. Along the way, the sailors entered the Canary Islands. Not far from Cape Verde, the admiral showed the Indian ambassadors returning to their homeland, heading to Lisbon, a caravel loaded with gold. The ambassadors were astonished to see so much gold for the first time. Along the way, Vasco da Gama founded forts and trading posts in Sofal and Mozambique, conquered the Arab emir of Kilwa and imposed tribute on him. Starting with cruel measures against Arab shipping, he ordered the burning of an Arab ship with all pilgrim passengers off the Malabar coast.
On October 3, the fleet arrived at Kannanur. The local rajah solemnly welcomed the Portuguese and allowed them to build a large trading post. Having loaded the ships with spices, the admiral headed for Calicut. Here he acted decisively and cruelly. Despite the promises of the Zamorin to compensate for the losses and the announcement of the arrest of the perpetrators of the attacks on the Portuguese, the admiral seized the ships that were in the port and fired at the city, turning it into ruins. He ordered the captured Indians to be hung on the masts, sent the zamorin to the shore, the hands, legs and heads chopped off from the unfortunate, and threw the bodies overboard to be washed ashore. Two days later, Vasco da Gama again bombarded Calicut and brought new victims to the sea. The Zamorin fled the ruined city. Leaving seven ships under the command of Vicente Sudre for the blockade of Calicut, da Gama went to Cochin. Here he loaded the ships and left a garrison in the new fortress.
Zamorin, with the help of Arab merchants, gathered a large flotilla, which, on February 12, 1503, set out to meet the Portuguese, who were again approaching Calicut. However, the light ships were put to flight by the artillery of the ships. On October 11, Vasco da Gama returned with success to Lisbon. The king, satisfied with the booty, raised the admiral's pension, but did not give a serious appointment to the ambitious sailor. Only in 1519 did Gama receive land holdings and the title of count.
After returning from the second campaign, Vasco da Gama continued to develop plans for the further colonization of India, advised the king to create a maritime police there. The king took into account his proposals in twelve documents (decrees) on India.
In 1505, King Manuel I, on the advice of Vasco da Gama, established the position of Viceroy of India. Francisco d'Almeida and Affonso d'Albuquerque, who succeeded each other, strengthened the power of Portugal on the land of India and in the Indian Ocean with cruel measures. However, after the death of d'Albuquerque in 1515, his successors proved greedy and incapable. The new king of Portugal, João III, who received less and less profit, decided to appoint the 64-year-old harsh and incorruptible Vasco da Gama as the fifth viceroy. On April 9, 1524, the admiral sailed from Portugal and immediately upon his arrival in India took firm measures against the abuses of the colonial administration. However, he did not have time to restore order, for he died of illness on December 24, 1524 in Cochin.
For some time, Portugal remained the master of the Indian Ocean, until other colonial powers replaced it. The performances of the local population against the colonialists, who were distinguished by excesses, cruelty and arrogance, contributed to the loss by the Portuguese of what Admiral Vasco da Gama of the Indian Ocean discovered and conquered.
Literature:
Kunin K. Vasco da Gama. Ed. 2nd. M., 1947;
Shumovsky T. A. Three unknown sailing directions of Ahmad ibn Majid, the Arab pilot Vasco da Gama ... M.-L., 1957;
Magidovich IP Essays on the history of geographical discoveries. M., 1967;
Hart G. Sea Route to India. Per. from English. M., 1959.
It so happened that most of the grandiose geographical discoveries fall on the Renaissance. Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, Ferdinand Magellan, Hernando Cortes - this is an incomplete list of the discoverers of new lands of that time. The Portuguese conqueror of India, Vasco da Gama, also joins the cohort of glorious travelers.
The young years of the future navigator
Vasco da Gama is one of the six children of the Alcaida of the Portuguese town of Sines Estevan da Gama. Vasco's ancestor Alvaro Annish da Gama served faithfully during the Reconquista to King Afonso III. For outstanding services shown in the fight against the Moors, Alvar was awarded and knighted. The acquired title was subsequently inherited by the descendants of the brave warrior.
The duties of Estevan da Gama included, on behalf of the king, overseeing the implementation of laws in the town entrusted to him. Together with the hereditary Englishwoman Isabelle Soudre, he created a strong family, in which in 1460 the third son, Vasco, was born.
From childhood, the boy raved about the sea and travel. Already, as a schoolboy, he enjoyed learning the basics of navigation. This hobby later came in handy for him on long journeys.
Around 1480, the young da Gama enters the Order of Santiago. From a young age, the young man actively participated in battles at sea. He succeeded so much that in 1492 he captured the French ships, which took possession of the Portuguese caravel, carrying significant gold reserves from Guinea. It was this operation that was the first success of Vasco da Gama, as a navigator and military man.
Vasco da Gama's predecessors
The economic development of Renaissance Portugal was directly dependent on international trade routes, from which the country was very far away at that time. Oriental valuables - spices, jewelry and other goods, had to be purchased at a very high cost. Exhausted by the Reconquista and the war with Castile, the Portuguese economy could not afford such costs.
However, the geographical location of the country contributed to the opening of new trade routes on the shores of the Black Continent. It was through Africa that the Portuguese prince Enrique hoped to find a way to India in order to receive goods from the East without hindrance in the future. Under the leadership of Enrique (in history - Henry the Navigator), the entire eastern coast of Africa was explored. From there they brought gold, slaves, strongholds were created there. However, despite all efforts, the ships of Enrique's subjects did not reach the equator.
After the death of the Infante in 1460, attention to expeditions to the southern coasts faded somewhat. But after 1470 interest in the African side increased again. It was during that period that the islands of Sao Tome and Principe were discovered. And 1486 was marked by the discovery of a large part of the southern coast of Africa along the equator.
During the reign of João II, it was repeatedly proved that, having circled Africa, one can easily reach the shores of the coveted India - a storehouse of oriental wonders. In 1487, Bartolomeo Dias discovered the Cape of Good Hope, proving that Africa does not extend all the way to the Pole.
But the very achievement of the Indian shores occurred much later, after the death of Juan II and during the reign of Manuel I.
Expedition preparation
The journey of Bartolomeo Dias made it possible to build four ships that would meet the requirements of a long journey. One of them, the flagship sailing ship San Gabriel, was commanded by Vasco da Gama himself. The other three - "San Rafael", "Berriu" and a transport ship were under the leadership of Vasco's brother Paulo, Nicolau Coelho and Gansalo Nunes. The guide of the travelers was the legendary Peru Aleker, who traveled with Dias himself. In addition to sailors, the expedition included a priest, a clerk, an astronomer, and several interpreters who knew the native dialects.
In addition to a variety of provisions and drinking water, the ships were equipped with numerous weapons. Halberds, crossbows, pikes, cold blades, cannons were designed to protect the crew in case of danger.
In 1497, after a long and thorough preparation, the expedition led by Vasco da Gama left their native shores and moved towards the longed-for India.
Maiden voyage
On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Nama's armada departed from the coast of Lisbon. The expedition headed for the Cape of Good Hope. Having rounded it, ships easily reached the shores of India.
The route of the armada stretched along the Canary Islands, which already belonged to Spain at that time. Further, the flotilla replenished supplies on the Cape Verde Islands, and, deepening into the Atlantic Ocean, having reached the equator, the ships turned to the southeast. For a long three months, sailors were forced to sail through endless water before the land appeared on the horizon. It was a cozy bay, later called the island of St. Helena. The planned repair of the ships was interrupted by a sudden attack on the sailors of local residents.
Severe weather conditions put real tests before the sailors. The allies of the storms were scurvy, broken ships and inhospitable natives.
On the way to India, travelers stopped on the shores of Mozambique, in the port of Mombasa, in the territory of Malindi. The reception of the Portuguese ships varied. The Sultan of Mozambique suspected Vasco da Gama of dishonesty, and the sailors had to leave the shores of the country in a hurry. Sheikh Malindi was in awe of the exploits of da Gama, who, on the way to Kenya, managed to smash an Arab dhow and capture 30 Arabs. The ruler made an alliance with Vasco against a common enemy and gave an experienced pilot to cross the Indian Ocean.
despite some disappointment from trade with the Indians, large human losses and the fact that two out of four ships returned to their native bay, the first experience of traveling to India was very positive. Income from the sale of Indian goods exceeded the cost of the Portuguese expedition by 60 times.
Second trip to the East
In the interval between the first and second trips to the Indian shores, Vasco da Gama managed to marry Catarina di Adaidi, the daughter of the alcaid Alvor. However, exorbitant ambitions and a thirst for travel forced Vasco to take part in the second arcade of Portugal. It was organized with the aim of pacifying the Indians, who burned the Portuguese trading post and expelled European merchants from the country.
The second expedition to the Indian shores consisted of 20 ships, 10 of which went to India, five interfered with Arab trade and five guarded trading posts. The expedition put to sea on February 10, 1502. As a result of a series of operations, Portuguese trading posts were opened in Sofala and Mozambique, the emir of Kilwa was defeated and tributed, and an Arab ship was burned along with pilgrim passengers.
In the fight against the recalcitrant zamorin of Calicut, Vasco da Gama was merciless. The shelled city, the Indians hung on the masts, the severed limbs and heads of the unfortunate sent to the zamorin - all these atrocities were a response to the infringement of the interests of the Portuguese. As a result of such actions, in October 1503, the Portuguese flotilla returned to the port of Lisbon without much loss and with huge booty. Vasco da Gama was awarded the title of count, an increase in pensions and land holdings.
The third voyage of Vasco da Gama and his death
In 1521, Manuel I's son João III began to rule Portugal. Soon, the king's profit from trade with India began to decrease significantly. The way out of the unpleasant situation, according to João III, was the appointment of Vasco da Gama as the fifth Viceroy of India. In order to clarify the circumstances in April 1524, the expedition headed by Vasco sailed to India for the third time. This time he was accompanied by two sons, experienced sailors Paulo and Eshtevan.
Having reached Goa, the Viceroy punished all those who abused the colonial administration. Having exposed and punished all the guilty, yes Gama departed for Cochin. However, already on the way he began to feel the first signs of malaria. Soon, a simple malaise gave way to serious boils on the neck and back of the head. Experiencing incredible torment, Vasco became irritable and quarrelsome. He never saw the dawn of December 24, 1524. Death caught him on the road. The body of the great traveler, Viceroy of India, Count, Admiral Vasco da Gama was transported to Portugal in 1539 and buried in the Jeronimos Monastery on the Lisbon outskirts of Santa Maria de Belen.
Among all the representatives of the Soviet political elite, it is the personality of Stalin that usually causes the most heated debate. Some researchers consider him an evil despot, who easily sent millions of people to certain death. Others insist that without it...
Vasca da Gama(Vasco da Gama) - later Count Vidigueira, the famous Portuguese navigator. Born around 1469 in the seaside town of Sines, he was a descendant of an old noble family and from his youth enjoyed a reputation as a brave sailor.
Already in 1486, an expedition led by Bartolomeo Diaz discovered the southern tip, which received the name Cape Storms from Diaz. King John II ordered that the Cape of Storms be called the Cape of Good Hope, since he believed that its discovery could lead to the search for a sea route to India, about which there were already rumors from pilgrims who visited the Holy Land, from merchants and from people who were sent by the king for reconnaissance.
Little by little, a plan was ripening to establish direct trade relations with India: until then, Indian goods had penetrated into Alexandria through Venice. King Emmanuel the Great equipped a squadron and entrusted Vasco da Gama with command of it, with the authority to conclude alliances and treaties and buy goods.
The flotilla consisted of 3 ships; the crew and soldiers were only 170 people; the people chosen for this expedition had previously been trained in various necessary trades. The skippers were assigned to those who accompanied Bartolomeo Diaz. For barter with the savages, a large supply of beads, mirrors, colored glass, etc. was taken, for the elders - more valuable gifts. On July 7, 1497, with a huge crowd of people, the flotilla set sail from.
Everything went well until Cape Verde, but then adverse winds began to slow down the movement to the south, a leak opened in the ships; the crew began to grumble and demanded a return to. Vasco insisted on continuing the voyage. On November 21, 1497, the expedition rounded the Cape of Good Hope and turned north. A second violent storm broke out; people suffered from fear and disease and conspired to shackle Vasco da Gama, return to their homeland and come to the king with a confession. Vasco da Gama found out about this and ordered the instigators of the conspiracy (including the skippers) to be chained, threw the quadrants into the sea and announced that henceforth God alone would be their skipper. At the sight of such energetic orders, the frightened team resigned itself.
When the storm subsided, they made a stop to repair the ships, and it turned out that one of them had become completely unusable, so they had to burn it. Passing carried the rest of the court to the north. On the banks of the Natal, the Portuguese first saw the natives and exchanged gifts with them. A Moor who knew the way to India entered the service of Vasco da Gama; he was of great use with his advice and guidance.
On March 1, 1498, he arrived in, where he established relations with the inhabitants, at first very friendly; the sheikh of the local tribe agreed to barter and gave pilots; but the Moors soon recognized in the Portuguese the same people who for many years, on the opposite side of Africa, had waged a merciless war against the Mohammedans. Religious fanaticism was joined by the fear of losing the monopoly of trade with India; the Moors tried to restore the sheikh against the Portuguese, who ordered his pilots to land the ships on the reefs. When this failed, they began to prevent Vasco da Gama from stocking up on fresh water. These circumstances forced Vasco da Gama to leave the inhospitable shores.
In Mombasa (on the shore), as a result of the Sheikh's warning, the Portuguese were given a reception similar to that of Mozambique; only in Melinda (3 ° south latitude) were sailors welcomed cordially. After the exchange of gifts, assurances of friendship, mutual visits (Vasco da Gama himself ventured to go ashore, which he did not do elsewhere), the Portuguese, having received a reliable pilot, set off further. On May 20, they saw Calicut (11 ° 15` north latitude, on the Malabar coast), the center of trade of the entire eastern coast of Africa, Arabia, the Persian Gulf, and. For several centuries, the Moors were the real rulers of Hindustan; by humane treatment, he managed to inspire the love of the natives and their kings.
The Calicut king considered it beneficial to have an alliance with the Europeans, who sent him magnificent gifts and began to buy spices without bargaining and without analyzing the quality; but the Moors, by slander and bribery of those close to the king, did their best to denigrate the Europeans in his eyes. When they did not succeed, they wanted to irritate him and force him to take up arms with repeated insults and even a two-day arrest of Vasco da Gama; but Vasco da Gama, feeling too weak to fight, endured everything and hastened to leave Calicut. The ruler of Kananara considered it best not to quarrel with the future rulers of India (an ancient prophecy spoke of conquerors from the West) and made an alliance with them.
After that, the flotilla set off on its return journey, carefully exploring and mapping the outlines of the African coast; The Cape of Good Hope was safely rounded, but around it again various difficulties began, which Vasco da Gama's brother, Paolo da Gama, who commanded one of the ships, could not bear; he was everyone's favorite, a true knight without fear or reproach. In September 1499, Vasco da Gama returned to Lisbon with 50 crew members and 2 dilapidated ships loaded with pepper and spices, the income from which covered all the expenses of the expedition in excess.
King Emmanuel immediately (1500) sent to India, under the leadership of Pedro Alvarez Cabral, a second flotilla, already consisting of 13 sailing ships, with 1500 crew, to establish Portuguese colonies. But the Portuguese, with their excessive greed, inept and inhumane treatment of the natives, aroused general hatred; they were refused to obey; in Calicut, about 40 Portuguese were killed, and their trading post was destroyed.
Cabral returned in 1501. The monopoly of maritime trade with India made Lisbon an important city in a short time; it was necessary to keep it in their hands - therefore, hastily (in 1502) they equipped a flotilla of 20 ships and subordinated it to Gama. He safely reached the eastern coast of Africa, concluded trade agreements with Mozambique and Sofala, left factors there; in Kiloa, he lured the king to the ship, threatened to capture him and burn the city, forced him to recognize the protectorate of Portugal, pay an indemnity and build a fortress.
Approaching Hindustan, Vasco divided the fleet into several parts; several small ships were overtaken and plundered, several towns were bombarded and ruined; one large ship sailing from Calicut is boarded, plundered and sunk, and the people are slaughtered. Fear gripped the entire coast, everyone humbled themselves before a strong enemy; even the ruler of Calicut sent several times to ask for peace. But Vasco da Gama, gentle with submissive kings, pursued the enemies of Portugal with merciless cruelty and decided to avenge the death of his compatriots: he blockaded the city, almost destroyed it by bombardment, burned all the ships in the harbor and destroyed the fleet equipped to resist the Portuguese.
Having built a trading post-fortress in Kananar and leaving people and part of the fleet there with an order to cruise near the coast and harm Calicut as much as possible, Vasco returned to his homeland on December 20, 1503 with 13 richly loaded ships. While Vasco da Gama enjoyed well-deserved peace in his homeland (although there is an indication that he was in charge of Indian affairs), five viceroys ruled one after another over the Portuguese possessions in India; the management of the last of them, Edward da Menezes, was so unfortunate that King John III decided to send Vasco da Gama again to the arena of his former exploits.
The new viceroy sailed (1524) with 14 ships, with a brilliant retinue, 200 guards and other attributes of power. In India, with firmness and perseverance, he began to eradicate covetousness, embezzlement, licentiousness of morals and a careless attitude towards the interests of the state. In order to successfully combat light Arab ships, he built several of the same type of ships, forbade private individuals to trade without royal permission, and tried to attract as many people as possible to maritime service with benefits. In the midst of this vigorous activity, he fell ill and on December 24, 1524, he died in Kohima. In 1538, his remains were transported to Portugal and solemnly interred in the town of Vidigueira.
Vasco da Gama was an honest and incorruptible man, combining determination with caution, but at the same time arrogant; sometimes brutal to the point of brutality. Purely practical goals, not a thirst for knowledge, guided his discoveries. The story of his expeditions is told by Barros, Caspar Correa, Osorio (historian of Emmanuel the Great) and Castanleda. In the city of Goa in the seventeenth century a statue was erected to him; but the most enduring monument was erected to him by Camões, in the epic Louisiade.
Vasco da Gama was born in 1469 in the city of Sines, in a noble family of a soldier who faithfully served King João II of Portugal. Vasco da Gama's career as an explorer began after the death of his father, who led an expedition planned to open a sea route to Asia.
Flagship San Gabriel
Vasco da Gama received a team of 170 people and set off from Lisbon on July 7, 1497, with three ships " San Gabriel», « Berrio" and flagship "San Rafael". His task was to find a sea route to India to establish trade relations that would provide Portugal with cheap goods. At that time, goods from Asia entered the European market, thanks to merchants from Venice, Cairo and Alexandria, by overland routes, which turned out to be expensive. Portugal needed its own way.
ship "Batavia"
ship "San Rafael"
The voyage to the Cape of Good Hope was successful. The sea was calm, and the wind was blowing in the right direction for the sailors. But as soon as they rounded Green Cape, a hurricane-force wind with rain fell. Only for a short time the storm subsided, and then began again. All this complicated the progress of the expedition. The supplies of provisions and drinking water were running out. Several sailors died of exhaustion. The crew began to demand to deploy ships and head for Portugal. The exhausted but angry team rebelled. The sailors wanted to shackle Vasco da Gama in chains, but he managed to break free and calm the rebels.
Traveler Vasco da Gama
The ships made a stop off the coast of East Africa near Mozambique to repair the rigging and sails. There, the team began their first trading relationship with the locals. But this did not last long, because due to the hostile attitude of the natives, there were attempts to capture ships. In this regard, the expedition was forced to leave the coast. Soon May 20, 1498 Vasco da Gama finally arrived at the port of Calicut (now Kolkata). This is a city on the east coast of India, where the trade of merchants from two continents - Africa and Hindustan was concentrated. Vasco da Gama showed diplomatic skills during negotiations with the Indian ruler Zatorin. After presenting gifts to the leader, attitudes towards travelers gradually began to change. In addition, goods purchased in Africa had practically no value from the locals. Soon they began to show hostility. Vasco da Gama was imprisoned as a pirate. Having narrowly escaped the death penalty, he was able to collect a rich cargo consisting of precious stones, gold and corals. He finally agreed to conduct trade relations between the Zamorin people and the Portuguese (the ruler really liked the spices). After the ships moved away from the coast of India and headed for Portugal along the coast of Africa. Navigator gradually mapped the outlines of the mainland.
sailors return home
In September 1499, an expedition consisting of two ships and 55 people of an exhausted crew arrived at the port of Lisbon. They were greeted as heroes. Indeed, in addition to the values that brought a lot of income to the state economy, Vasco da Gama plotted more than 4,000 km of the African coast from the mouth of the Great Fish River to the port of Malindi on the world map, inscribed his name in world history as the discoverer of the sea trade route from Europe to India.
