Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer, who was the first person to sail directly from Europe to India and who is still remembered as one of the pioneers from the golden age of sailing exploration.

The explorer inherited command of a ship when his father died in 1497. At this time, Portugal’s marine explorers had been gradually extending their knowledge of the coast of Africa, while land-based explorers had crossed into India from Egypt. The next major step forward was for an explorer to find a way to cross into the Indian Ocean directly from Portugal and this was to be da Gama’s destiny.

Da Gama and his fleet of four ships passed the Cape of Good Hope in December 1497, and into seas then unknown to Europeans. After stopping at several African ports en route, da Gama landed in southwest India in May 1498.

Vasco da Gama was richly rewarded and became “Admiral of the Indian Ocean” on his return to Portugal. He died on his third trip to India, not long after his arrival. His body was returned to Portugal 15 years later, where he was buried once more in great splendour.