Great Explorers(Vasco Da Gama)

Vasco Da Gama was born in 1469 in Sines, Portugal. As a young man, Vasco learned astronomy and navigation. He bacame a naval Officer in 1492. In 1497, King Manuel the First of Portugal asked Da Gama to find a sea route to India by sailing around Africa. Da Gama’s father had been chosen to lead the expedition, but he died before the plans were completed.
Da Gama commanded four ships, including the Berrio, the Saint Gabriel, and the Saint Raphael. He had a total crew of about 170 men. He brought a lot of equipment. Da Gama sailed from Lisbon, Portugal on July 8, 1497 and rounded the Cape of Good Hope on November 22. He then headed North and stopped at trading centers that are now Mocambique, Mozambique; and Mombasa and Malindi, Kenya. Arab traders in Mocambique and Mombassa hated the Portugese and tried to sieze their ships, but the people in Malindi were friendlier and arranged to guide the fleet to India. On May 20, 1498, Da Gama reached Calicut, India.
In August 1498, Da Gama sailed for home. Many sailors died of disease and only 55 survived. He arrived in Lisbon in September 1499. King Manuel rewarded him and gave him the title of Admiral of the Sea of India. He died in 1524.