The route meant that the Portuguese wouldn't need to cross the highly disputed Mediterranean nor the dangerous Arabia, and that the whole voyage would be made by sea.Īfter decades of sailors trying to reach India with thousands of lives and dozens of vessels lost in shipwrecks and attacks, Gama landed in Calicut on. This discovery was very significant and paved the way for the Portuguese to establish a long lasting colonial empire in Asia. He is one of the most famous and celebrated explorers from the Discovery Ages, being the first European to reach India through sea. 1460 or 1469 – 24 December 1524), 1st Count of Vidigueira, was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India.
Vasco da Gama ( Portuguese pronunciation: ) (c. Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugalĭ. Sines or Vidigueira, Alentejo, Kingdom of Portugal Francisco da Gama, 2nd Count of Vidigueira
