c. 1450-1500

Portuguese Mariner and Navigator

Bartolomeu Dias was the first mariner to round Africa's Cape of Good Hope, opening up a coveted sea route to the West Indies for Portugal. In the latter part of his life, he took part in the Portuguese discovery of Brazil.

Little is known about Dias's early life. Although his surname was a common one, historians believe that Dias came from a long line of navigators that may have included Dinis Dias, who rounded the Cape Verde in 1455, and Joao Dias, who rounded Cape Bojador in 1437. In 1486, on the appointment of King John II, Dias was instructed to find "Polly Prism Promontorium," the southernmost extremity of Africa, and hopefully discover the coveted sea route to India. Finding this route was important to Portugal because unrest in the Mongol Empire had closed the overland trade routes to the Far East. Commanding...