On December 16th, 1497 Vasco da Gama reached the point where Bartolomeu Dias turned back.His mission would be to sail around the Cape and make his way to India. On July 8th, 1497 Vasco da Gama set out on his first voyage with 170 men from Lisbon.Dias would not reach India, his mission was to prove that it was possible to sail around the Cape of Good Hope. He would get his first taste of exploration with Bartolomeu Dias when has sailed around what is now called the Cape of Good Hope.Vasco did so and he did it with much speed and effectiveness. Twelve years later King John would send Vasco da Gama on a mission to seize French ships. John would eventually ascend to the Portuguese throne and become King John II. In 1480 he joined the Order of Santiago whose master was Prince John. In 1460 he was appointed as a knight of the household of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu.He would hold this position until around 1478. It was either 1460 or 1469 in Sines on the southwest coast of Portugal His father was Estevao da Gama who was also famous in his time. Historians disagree on the date of Vasco da Gama’s birth. This story is the sort of behavior that gets you kicked outta the party! But Da Gama was incredibly important to Portugal so they left his behavior slide! Here we will look at what Da Gama did for the world of exploration, Portugal and the acts of cruelty against the Muslim people of Africa
