Paulo da Gama is a Portuguese explorer who is best known for his role in the Age of Discovery. He was the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, which opened up a new route to India and the Far East. This route was later used by the Portuguese to establish a trading empire in the East.
Paulo da Gama was born in 1460 in Sines, Portugal. He was the son of Estevão da Gama, a knight of the Order of Santiago, and his wife Isabel Sodré. He had two brothers, Vasco and Pedro, and a sister, Isabel. His father was a successful merchant and was able to provide his children with a good education.
At the age of 14, Paulo da Gama joined the Portuguese navy and served in the war against the Moors. He was later appointed to the post of captain of a caravel, a small sailing vessel. In 1497, he was chosen by King Manuel I of Portugal to lead an expedition to India.
The expedition was a success and Paulo da Gama arrived in India in 1498. He was welcomed by the local rulers and was able to establish a trading post in Calicut. He also made contact with the Chinese and Japanese, and was able to bring back valuable goods to Portugal.
In 1500, Paulo da Gama was appointed to lead a second expedition to India. This time, he was instructed to find a new route to India that would bypass the dangerous waters of the Red Sea. He decided to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, a route that had never been attempted before.
On November 22, 1497, Paulo da Gama set sail from Lisbon with four ships and a crew of 170 men. After a difficult journey, he arrived in India in May of 1498. He had successfully opened up a new route to India and the Far East, and the Portuguese were able to establish a trading empire in the East.
Paulo da Gama returned to Portugal in 1524 and was given a hero’s welcome. He was appointed to the post of Viceroy of India and was made a member of the Order of Christ. He died in 1524 and was buried in the Church of St. Francis in Lisbon.
Paulo da Gama’s voyage around the Cape of Good Hope was a major event in the Age of Discovery. It opened up a new route to India and the Far East and allowed the Portuguese to establish a trading empire in the East. His legacy lives on today, and he is remembered as one of the greatest explorers of all time.