My Early Life

I, Vasco Da Gama, was born in 1460, in Sines, on the Southwest coast of Portugal, in a house near the church of Nossa Senhora das salas. Sines, one of the few seaports on the Alentejo coast, consisted of little more than a cluster of white-washed, red-tiled cottages, tenanted chiefly by fisherfolk.

My father was Estevao da Gama. In the 1460s he was a knight in the household of the Duke of Viseu. Being appointed Civil Governor, he was able to receive a small revenue from taxes on soap making in Estremoz.

My father, Estevao was married to Dona Isabel Sodre, my mother, who was of English origin.

I studied at the inland town of Evora, where I learnt mathematics and the famous astronomer Abraham Zacuto.
navigation and I knew astronomy well, which I learnt from
In 1942, King Jaun Paul II of Portugal sent me to the port of Setubal, south of Lisbon to seize French ships in retaliation for peacetime depredations against Portuguese shipping- a task that I performed rapidly and effectively.

My Background

My voyage was successful in establishing a sea route from Europe to India. This permitted Europeans to trade with the Far East without having to endure the costs and hazards of the Silk Road caravans, which followed inland routes through the Middle East and Central Asia at a time when much of this territory was part of the Mughal Empire. However, my achievements were somewhat dimmed by his failure to bring any trade goods of interest to the nations of Asia Minor and India. Moreover, the sea route had its own problems.
- The fleet went more than three months without seeing land
- only 54 of my 170 companions, on two of his four ships returned to Portugal in 1499.

Nevertheless, my initial journey ushered in an era of European domination through sea power and commerce that lasted several hundred years and 450 years of Portuguese colonialism in India and Africa that brought wealth and power to the Portuguese.

The First Voyage

On 8 July 1947 the fleet consisting of four ships left Lisbon. It carried with it a four-vessel fleet consisting of two-medium sized sailing ships, a *caravel and a large storeship. Knowing that the currents along the African coast would impede his progress,I boldly set a course that took me far from land, sailing in uncharted waters. The explorers rounded the southern tip of Africa, which they named the "Cape of Good Hope", on November 22. At this point they no longer needed the storeship, so it was broken up and burned. they continued sailing up the Eastern African coast but stopped as many crew members were sick with *scurvy. The expedition rested a month for the crew members to heal and for the ships to be repaired.

Mozambique

On March 2 the fleet reached the island of Mozambique. Being treated friendly, I learned that the natives traded with Arab merchants and the Sultan of Mozambique supplied me with a pilot to guide them.

Calicut

We soon reached Calicut in less than a month. We were in the most important trading center in Southern India at that time and were welcomed by the Hindu ruler, Zamorin. However, I was unable to make a trade agreement with him due to certain circumstances. as tensions mounted, I left for Malindi in late August.

Malindi

As the pilot had abandoned us in Calicut, we travelled back on their own. The weather was not good and the crew was not prepared for a return journey that would last three times as long. Once again, most of the crew members contracted scurvy and many died while others were nearing death upon reaching Malindi. Thankfully, the Sultan there was of extreme help and supported us in many ways.

Return

The remaining ships set out for home and skirted the Cape of Good Hope on March 20. they reached Portugal on July 10. My ship continued on the Azores, and I reached my original starting point, Lisbon on September 9. While hailed as a hero as the acheivement was remarkable (for I had travelled 27, 000 miles) by sea, the trip had taken a great toll. I returned with only half of his ships and less than half of his men. One casualty was especially hard on me: I lost my brother Paulo Da Gama to sickness on the last leg of the journey. Although I had returned with a small amount of tradable goods, I brought back a much more valuable commodity, a sea route to India. The door was open and the Portuguese intended to use it to its fullest.

___________________________________________________________________


*caravel- a small, fast ship
*scurvy- a disease marked by swollen and bleeding gums, livid spots on the skin, prostration,
due to a diet lacking in Vitamin C

The Second Voyage

I went out on my second expedition on February 12, 1502. I was prepared for an encounter with the Muslim traders. I had a fleet of twenty warships. I hoped to enforce Portuguese's interests in the east and wanted to get revenge on the Muslims for the opposition in 1948 and killed many Indians and Muslims. In one instance, I waited for a ship to return from *Mecca. The Portuguese overtook the ship and seized all the merchandise. They locked the 380 passengers in the hold and set the ship on fire. It took four days for the ship to sink, killing all men, women and children.

When I arrived in Calicut on October 30, 1502, the Zamorin was willing to sign a treaty. I told him that he would have to banish all the Muslims. To demonstrate the power I had, I hung 38 fishermen; cut off their heads, feet and hands. Then I floated the dismembered corpses onto the shore. Later, I bombarded the city with guns and managed to get into the trading system. This led the way for other Portuguese conquests in the East Indies.

On my return to Portugal in September, 1503, I was made Count. I was also awarded feudal rights and *jurisdiction.

___________________________________________________________________
*Mecca- A muslim trading and religious center
*jurisdiction- the right, power or authority to administer justice by hearing and determining controversies

The Third and Final Voyage

I had a reputation as a "solution finder" for the problems that arose in India. Hence, I was sent there once more in 1524. Little did I know that it was to be a treacherous voyage.

My job there was to replace and person as viceroy of the Portuguese possessions.

The end of the memoirs of a great traveller and explorer.

Vasco Da Gama contracted malaria not long after arriving in Goa and died in the city of Cochin on Christmas Eve in 1524.

His body ws first buried at St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi but his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539 and re-interred in Viddigueira in a splendid tomb.

Rounding the Cape

Other interesting videos:

Sine, Kurdistan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb7JyOxBbkQ

Sines, Portugal National Erasmus Meeting 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mTPEEZeovE

South Africa-Cape Town-Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDpWsdfFZKQ

Cape of Good Hope
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V6Q_T-EyXs

Golden Age

A Golden Age of a civilisation is not only the time that citizens of a country can acheive great things. The term Golden age stems from Greek mythology. It refers to the highest stage of Greek spectrum. The features of a Golden Age are a strong military, an efficient government, stable, peaceful, full of prosperity and an open society which encourages learning. An analogous idea can be found in the religious and philosophical tradition of the Far East. For example, the Vedic or ancient Hindu culture saw history as cyclical composed of yugas with alternating Dark and Golden Ages. Similar beliefs can be found in the ancient Middle East and throughout the ancient world.

There are creative people in most civilisations at most times but it is during a Golden Age that they have their best chance to flourish. During a Golden Age, citizens experience on of the best times, for trade with other countries to develop and when other advantages are found out. A Golden Age is truly a time of a civilisation not to be forgotten.

Hindu Golden Age

The Indian teachings differentiate the four world ages according to quality depicted as colours, whereby white is the purest quality and belongs to the first, ideal age. These colours were originally assigned to the planet Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury and Mars just like the metals. After the world fall at the end of the fourth, worst age the cycle should be continued, eventually culminating a new golden age.

The Vijayanagara Empire

The Vijayanagara Empire is a South Indian empire based in Deccan. Established in 1336, it lasted until 1646 although its power declined after a major military defeat in 1565. The empire is named after its capital city of Vijayanagara, whose impressive ruins surround modern Hampi, now a World Heritage Site in modern Karnataka, India. The writings of medieval European travellers and the literature in local vernaculars provide crucial information about its history. Archaeological excavations at Vijayanagara have revealed the empire's power and wealth.

The empire includes many monuments spread over South India, the best known ones being at Hampi. The temples were an inspire architectural innovation of Hindu temple construction, first in the Deccan and later in the Dravidian idioms using local granite. Efficient administration and vigorous overseas trade brought new technologies like water management systems for irrigation. The empire's patronage enabled fine arts and literature to reach new heights in the languages of Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit, while Carnatic music evolved into its current form. The Vijayanagara Empire made such an impact in South Indian history that promoted Hinduism as a unifying factor.

Language

Kannada, Telugu and Tamil were used in their respective regions of the empire. Over 7000 inscriptions including 300 copper plate insriptions have been discovered, in Kannada,Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit.
Gold, silver and copper were used to issue coins. The coins contained the images of Venkateshwara the sin destroyer, Goddesses, divine couples and animals such as bulls, elephants and birds. The earliest coins feature Hanuman (monkey god) and Garuda (vehicle of Lord Vishnu). Kannada and Telugu inscriptions have been deciphered and recorded by historians of the Archeological Survey of India.

Architecture

Vijayanagara architecture is a vibrant combination. It has styles, idioms that prospered in previous centuries. Its legacy of sculpture, architecture and painting influenced the development of the arts long after the empire came to an end. Artists used the locally available hard granite because of its durability since the kingdom was under constant threat of invasion. While the empire's monuments are spread over the whole of Southern India, nothing surpasses the vast open air theatre of monuments at its capital at Vijayanagara.

The 14th century kings built Deccan style monuments but later incorparated gopurams (large ornate structures) to meet their ritualistic needs. The Prasanna Virupaksha temple is an example of Deccan style architecture. The varied and intricate ornamentation of the pillars is a mark of their work. A visible aspect of their style is their return to the simplistic and serene art developed by the Chalukya dynasty. A grand specimen of Vijayanagara art, the Vitthala temple, took several decades to complete during the reign of the Tuluva kings.

An aspect of Vijayanagara architecture that shows the cosmopolitanism of the great city is the presence of many secular structures bearing Islamic features. There are many arches, domes and vaults that show these influences. The concentration of structures like pavilions, stables and towers suggest they were used by royalty. The decorative features of these structures may have been absorbed into Vijayanagara architecture during the early 15th century. Harmonious exchange of architectural ideas must have happened during the rare periods of peace between the Hindu and Muslim kingdoms.

Literature

During the Vijayanagara empire, poets, scholars and philosophers wrote in Sanskrit and the regional languages, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. They covered subjects such as religion, biography, fiction, music, grammar, poetry and medicine. The Telugu language became a popular literary medium.

Most Sanskrit works were commentaries either on the Vedas or the Ramayana (holy scriptures), written by well known figures.

The period's Kannada poets and scholars produced important writings supporting the Vaishnava Bhakti movement heralded by the devotees of Vishnu.

Though much of the tamil literature from this period came from Tamil speaking regions ruled by the feudatory Pandya who gave particular attention on the cultivation of Tamil literature, some poets were patronised by the Vijayanagara Kings. Krishnadevaraya patronised the Tamil poet Haridass whose works were an exposition of the two Hindu systems, Vaishnava and Shaiva, with the preference of the former.

Notable secular writings on music and medicine were also produced.

Culture

Information on the social life in Vijayanagara Empire comes from writing of foreign visitors and evidence that research teams in Vijayanagara area have uncovered. The Hindu caste system was prevalent and rigidly followed, with each caste represented by a local body of elders who represented the community. These elders set the rules and regulations that were implemented with the help of royal decrees. Untouchability was part of the caste system and these communities were represented by leaders. The Muslim communities were represented by their own group in coastal Karnataka. The caste system allowed distinguished persons from all castes from being promoted to high ranking cadre in the army and administration. In civil life, Brahmins were religious enjoyed a high level of respect.

As for clothing, well-to-do men wore a tall turban made of silk and decorated with gold. Jewellery like anklets, bracelets, finger-rings, necklaces and earrings of various types were used by men and women. During celebrations, men and women adorned themselves with flower garlands and used perfumes made of rose-water, musk and sandalwood. Queens and princesses had numerous attendants who were lavishly dressed and adorned with fine jewellery as their daily duties were light.

Sports and entertainment were important. Gymnasiums have been discovered inside royal quarters and there are records of regular physical training for commanders and their armies. Excavations within the Vijayanagara city have revealed the existence of various types of community-based activities in the form of engravings on boulders, rock platforms and temple floors, implying these were places of casual social interaction.

Economy

The Empire's economy was largely dependent on agriculture. Corn and cotton grew in semiarid regions, while sugarcane, rice and wheat thrived in rainy areas. Betel leaves and coconut were principal cash crops, and large scale cotton production supplied the weaving centers of the empire's vibrant textile industry. Spices such as turmeric, pepper, cardamom and ginger grew in the remote Malnad hill region and were transported to the city for trade. The empire was a thriving business centre that included a burgeoning market in large quantities of precious gems and gold. Prolific temple- building provided employment to thousands of masons, sculptors and other skilled artisans.

Governance

The rulers of the Vijayanagara empire maintained the well-functioning administrative methods developed by their predecessors, to govern their territories and made changes when necessary. The king was the ultimate authority, assisted by ministers headed by the prime minister. At lower administrative levels, wealthy feudal lords supervised accountants and guards. The palace also had 72 departments with several female attendants.

The empire was divided into five provinces, each under a commander and headed by a governor. Hereditary families ruled their respective territories and paid tribute to the empire while some areas, came under direct supervision of a commander.

On the battlefields, the king's commanders led the troops. The empire's strategy rarely involved massive invasions; more often it employed small scale methods such as attacking and destroying individual forts. King Krishnadevaraya's personal army consisted of 100,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalrymen and over 900 elephants. The army recruited from all classes of society and consisted of archers and musketeers.

The capital city was completely dependent on the water supply systems constructed to channel and store water, ensure a consistent supply throughout the year. Large tanks in the capital city were constructed with royal patronage while smaller tanks were funded by wealthy individuals to get social and religious credit.

Places Visited by the Maritime Explorer

FIRST STOP

Mombasa
The Portuguese became the first known Europeans to visit the port of Mombasa but were met with hostility and soon departed.

SECOND STOP

Malindi
The Portuguese contracted the services of an Arab navigator and cartographer, whose knowledge of the monsoon winds allowed him to bring the expedition the rest of the way to Calicut.

THIRD STOP

Calicut
Vasco Da Gama kept his goods but left a few Portuguese with orders to start a trading post.

BACK HOME

Portugal
The result of the trip was the colonization of Mozambique by the Portuguese crown.

An Extremely Short Summary

Name: Vasco Da Gama
Born: ca. 1460
Died: 24 December 1524
Birthplace: Sines, Portugal
Best known as: Portugese explorer who opened up sea route to India

Naval commander Vasco de Gama's 1497 expedition from Lisbon opened a route to India and led to Portugese dominance of the Eastern spice trade. Little is known of his life before he was assigned command of the expedition that left Lisbon in July of 1497. He established a route around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, up the coast of East Africa and finally to Calicut in India. He returned to Portugal in 1499, having lost most of his men while establishing trade posts in East Africa and India. On his second voyage to India in 1502, the new "Admiral of the Indian Ocean" led 20 ships against rival Arab traders and secured military supremacy in Calicut and Goa; the treasures he brought home to Portugal earned him royal favor and even greater repute. Created a count in 1519, he was named Viceroy of India in 1524 and travelled to Goa. While in India he fell ill (probably malaria) and died.

Legacy

On his return to Lisbon in 1499, da Gama had completed the longest recorded sea voyage ever to set sail up to that time. By pioneering the Portuguese sea route to India, da Gama established Lisbon as the center of the European spice trade. This laid the foundation for the Portuguese Empire, which controlled trade with the ports of East Africa, southwest India, and Indonesia for centuries.

Hazardous Journeys

Picture 1: Jolly Roger- The emblem for pirates
Picture2: A mouth infected by Scurvy

Problems travellers will face
-Broken Sails
-Strong currents
-Heavy Storms
-Pirates
-Getting lost
-Diseases like Scurvy
-Shortage of food
-Lack of water

How to overcome the difficulties?

-Broken Sails

Check that the sails are in good condition regularly and mend any tears immediately
-Strong currents/ Heavy Storms
If the situation is very bad such that the ship is going to capsize, throw overboard any heavy items. This will help lessen the load and will make it less possible for the boat to capsize.

-Pirates

Carry on board weapons in case pirates attack. Train the crew members so that all of them know how to use the weapons.

-Getting lost

Always carry navigational tools like compasses. determine sunrises and sunsets and observe the positions of the moons and the stars.

-Scurvy

Scurvy is caused by the lack of intake of Vitamin C which comes from vegetables. It's important to have enough vegetables on board. Pickled vegetables last longer so bring more of those. I've heard that lemons and lime can cure Scurvy so bring a boxful too.

-Shortage of food

You may have brought a lot of food but overtime, the food will start to rot and become infested with maggots. When the food is no longer fit for consumption, you may want to try catching fish.

-Lack of water

Sea water cannot be drunk because of its high sat content. The only way is to desalinate the water. however the process is very slow and produces very little water. You have to boil the seawater, let the water vapour condense and then collect the condensation. The tiny water droplets you collected is fit for drinking.

On board the Ships

Astrolabes
Navigation Chart
Nocturnals
Traverse Boards


The Navigational aids that Vasco da Gama would have used is:
- Astrolabes
- Charts
- Compasses
- Cross-staffs
- Nocturnals
- Traverse boards
- Almanacs

- These tools were used to measure the angle between objects above the ocean, such as the stars or the sun, with the horizon so that Vasco da Gama could calculate the ship's position at sea.

- Food found on the ship included bread, beer, fish and salted meat. There were also private stores which might include wine and fresh livestock.

- The Sao Gabriel, the Sao Rafael and the Berrio were small ships, about 80 tons and the length of the ship was about 80 feet.

- The sail area of the ships would have been about 2500 square feet

Timeline

Facts, Timeline and History about the life of Vasco Da Gama

*1460: Vasco Da Gama was born in Sines, Portugal
He came from a noble Portuguese family and his father was a distinguished soldier.
Gama was well educated and was taught several languages, physics, geometry,
mathematics and astronomy

*1492: King John Paul II of Portugal sent Gama to Setubal, on the Lisbon coast to seize French ships for French raids against Portuguese ships

*1497: (January): Vasco da Gama was to find a sea route to the East Indies

*1497: (July 8): Gama sailed from Lisbon under the leadership of the three Gama
brothers; Vasco, Paulo and Nicolao, accompanied by a crew of 150 men

*1497: (November 22): Vasco da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope

*1497: (December 25): Gama reached the coast of Natal

*1498: (January): Gama reached the mouth of Zambezi. They were attacked by the Arabs

*1498. (May 20): The voyage of discovery reached its destination-the Indies and Calcutta, India

*1498: (October 5): Vasco da Gama sets sail for home (Portugal)

*1499. (September): Gama returns to Portugal, with pride. Made "Admiral of the Indian Ocean"


*1502: King Manuel I of Portugal sends Gama on another expedition to India

*1503: Gama returns to Portugal

*1519: The title of "Count" is bestowed on Vasco da Gama

*1524: King John III sends Gama to India as the Portuguese viceroy
On 24th January, Vasco da Gama dies in Cochin on the Malabar coast, India

*1539: The remains of Gama are returned to Portugal and his body is lain to rest in Vidigueira

*Did you know?
Currently, Vasco da Gama's Route to India has taken shape as the latest major intercontinental submarine cable project--a massive 28,000km system that follows do Gama's path and stretches all the way from Europe around Africa to Asia!

Picture Gallery

Vasco Da Gama's ship format

Route to India and back to Portugal

Vasco Da Gama in Calicut
Pillar at Malindi
The Portrait of Vasco Da Gama

Sea Route across India
Ancient Time Map of India

At Gama's Birthplace
Route taken by Gama around the world
The Cape of Good Hope
The strong currents Gama overcame
Painting of the young Vasco Da Gama

Through the oceans goes Gama!