An Artist's Impression of Vasco da Gama

Running Head: VASCO DA GAMA
Biography of Vasco Da Gama
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An artist’s impression of Vasco da Gama
Background
Vasco Da Gama was a highly respected and successful Portuguese sailor. His name is synonymous with the European Age of Exploration. Vasco Da Gama is perhaps well-known for his efforts in establishing Portugal as a major colonial empire. He is most famous for being the first person to sail directly from Europe to India (Biography.com, 2015; BBC, 2014; Szalay, 2013). His philosophy is perhaps embodied in the statement “I am not afraid of the darkness”, which signifies the courage with which he undertook his expeditions.
According to Szalay (2013), Vasco Da Gama was born in Sines, Portugal in 1460. This is also affirmed by History.com (2015), which states that he was born on the coast of the Alentejo Province, southwest of Portugal, to a nobleman who commanded the fortress at Sines. Much of his childhood is lost to history. However, according to Biography.com (2015), when he was old enough, da Gama was sent to join the navy where he became an expert at navigation.
Vasco Da Gama’s chance to prove his mettle as a reputable navigator arose when King John II sent him to the southern Lisbon and the Algarve region of Portugal to seize French ships as an act of retaliation following France’s bid to disrupt Portuguese shipping interests. By the time King Manuel took hold of power, Portugal had already established itself as European maritime power, especially because of Henry the Navigator and Bartholomew Dias.
According to Szalay (2013), Henry the navigator had already conducted several voyages to both North and west of Africa. On the other hand, Bartholomew Dias had succeeded in establishing that the Indian and Atlantic oceans were linked. As a result, King Manuel became interested in finding a suitable trade route to the Indian realm and spread Christianity (Biography.com, 2015). Vasco Da Gama was chosen to head the expedition to India.
Vasco da Gama’s First Voyage
On July 8th, 1497, Da Gama embarked on the expedition, captaining four vessels, including the St. Gabriel, his flagship. After months of sailing, he maneuvered the Cape of Good Hope and began to make his way up the eastern coast of Africa, toward the unfamiliar waters of the Indian Ocean (Biography.com, 20...