Vasco Da Gama Establishes the First Ocean Trade Route from Europe to India and Asia
Overview
Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) of Portugal is often credited with initiating the "Age of Discovery." This was the term given to the quest of European countries to seek out new lands and trade routes by sea. Prince Henry had multiple motives for this endeavor. He wanted to establish new routes of trade, find a possible route to attack the Moors from the rear, test new advances in shipbuilding and navigational aids, and fulfill his curiosity regarding the world. He commissioned numerous expeditions throughout the fifteenth century to explore and chart the African coast. Although Prince Henry died in 1460, his legacy was firmly established and exploration continued.
King John II of Portugal sought to establish both a land route and a sea route to India. The sea route was to go around the southern tip of Africa, which was not even believed to exist by some at that time. In 1487 Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Dias (1450?-1500) rounded the cape of Africa in stormy seas and began sailing in a northeast direction to reach what is now South Africa. Dias had shown that there was indeed a possible route to India via the southern tip of Africa.
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