The aim of the expedition was to eliminate the Arab, Persian, Turkish and Venetian intermediary trade, which made spices such as pepper extremely expensive in Europe.ĭa Gama and his crew left the port of Lissabon on Jwith the 120t ship São Gabriel, and two other boats, the São Rafael, and Bérrio. This search had already been started 80 years earlier by Henry the Navigator. In addition, Bartolomeu Dias, the conqueror of the Cape of Good Hope, accompanied the small fleet to the Cape Verde Islands. Manuel I also made it possible for Vasco da Gama to join the Order of the Knights of Christ. The possibly missing maritime knowledge of Vasco da Gama was compensated by the best pilots and helmsmen of Portugal, who knew the waters to be navigated – as far as they were known to the Portuguese at all. What is certain, however, is that Gama had very good relations with King Manuel I of Portugal, who had ruled since 1495, and was considered a man who enjoyed the king’s trust. The two contemporaries and chroniclers João de Barros and Damião de Góis point out that he had succeeded his father, who under John II had been one of the most important advocates of the search for the sea route to India around Africa. Why Vasco da Gama was chosen as commander-in-chief for the trip to India has not yet been clearly explained. Da Gama earned himself a great reputation during this year and was soon promoted and nominated to travel to India. In 1495 da Gama was appointed Commander of the two Commanderies of the Order of Santiago, Mouguelas and Chouparia, in recognition of his services. Vasco da Gama took retaliatory measures against French merchant ships in the port of Setúbal and in ports in the Algarve in response to attacks by French pirates on Portuguese ships off the West African coast. The first historical record of Vasco da Gama’s life dates back to 1480, the year in which he joined the Knights of Santiago. His parents were Estêvão da Gama (governor of Sines and Silves) and Isabel Sodré, whose family originally came from England and had good family relations with the Order of the Knights of Christ. Little is known about Vasco da Gama’s youth and life before his great voyage of discovery. Vasco da Gama was born into a family of noblemen, his father belonged to the Order of Santiago and was occupied with several administrative tasks. He was one of the most successful explorers in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India. On December 24, 1524, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira, passed away.
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