10 Interesting Facts about Vasco da Gama

If you love to listen a story about discovery journey, then these following facts about Vasco da Gama should be really interesting for you to read. People around the world know that Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India. He was also on of the most famous and celebrated explorers from the Discovery Ages. To get to know more about him, here are the other facts about Vasco da Gama you may consider interesting.

Facts about Vasco da Gama 1: 15th and 16th Centuries

Vasco da Gama is one of the most famous of the Portuguese explorers from the Age of Discovery, which occurred during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Facts about Vasco da Gama 2: Living

He lived from about 1460 to 1524 and was the first European to reach India directly by sea. His discovery meant that the Portuguese could colonize parts of Asia.

Facts about Vasco da Gama - Vasco da Gama

Facts about Vasco da Gama – Vasco da Gama

Facts about Vasco da Gama 3: Early Life

Much of Vasco da Gama’s early life was spent on fishing boats. He also studied navigation and astronomy, and he was friends with Ponce de Leon, who discovered Florida.

Facts about Vasco da Gama 4: Sea Voyage

His father was also a well known explorer. He would have made the sea voyage to India that made Vasco da Gama famous, but he died before he could complete the journey.

Facts about Vasco da Gama - Routes

Facts about Vasco da Gama – Routes

Facts about Vasco da Gama 5: Land of East African

The land on the East African coast under Muslim rule was very important for Portuguese expansion plans. At one point, Vasco da Gama impersonated a Muslim to secure a meeting with a local sultan.

Facts about Vasco da Gama 6: Staying in India

Da Gama stayed in India for several months, leaving when he was asked to pay taxes and leave his goods behind. In retaliation, he took some hostages.

Facts about Vasco da Gama - Pillar of Vasco da Gama

Facts about Vasco da Gama – Pillar of Vasco da Gama

Facts about Vasco da Gama 7: Second Voyage

In 1502, da Gama made his second voyage to India. On this voyage, he came upon a ship carrying Muslim pilgrims. He looted the ship and then cruelly killed all of the passengers in cold-blood.

Facts about Vasco da Gama 8: Third Voyage

His third voyage was in 1524, when he set sail to India with two of his sons. However, he died while on the voyage, possibly from pneumonia although some say it was from exhaustion and overworking.

Facts about Vasco da Gama - Cenotaph to Vasco da Gama

Facts about Vasco da Gama – Cenotaph to Vasco da Gama

Facts about Vasco da Gama 9: Vasco da Gama

A city in India is named after Vasco da Gama, as well as three Brazilian football teams, several ships, a crater on the moon and several places in Lisbon, Portugal.

Facts about Vasco da Gama 10: Urumi

Vasco da Gama appears as an antagonist in the Indian film “Urumi”. The film, directed by acclaimed cinematographer Santosh Sivan, depicts a failed assassination attempt on da Gama by an Indian.

Facts about Vasco da Gama - Tomb

Facts about Vasco da Gama – Tomb

Those following facts about Vasco da Gama should be really interesting for you to read. Through his voyages, you may also know what purpose he was aim to during his life and what kind of personality he was. Hope you would find these Vasco da Gama facts really interesting and useful.

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