Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese nobleman who was born around 1460. His father was the Governor of Sines, Portugal. Teixeira de Aragao, a Portuguese historian, suggested that he studied at the inland town of Evora, where he learned mathematics and navigation and he may have studied under the astrologer and astronomer, Abraham Zacuto .

On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Gama led a fleet of four ships with a crew of 170 men from Lisbon, Portugal in search of trade routes. The four ships sailed a distance of more than 10,000 kilometres for over three months. On the voyage two ships were lost and only 55 men returned.

Da Gama set sail on the first European voyage to India. On his journey, he made stops at Mozambique, Mombasa and Malindi. His voyage opened the first all-water trade route between Europe and Asia.

Vasco da Gama spent March 2nd to March 29th of 1498 on Mozambique. Fearing unfriendliness from the local population, da Gama impersonated a Muslim. Da Gama sent the Indian king four cloaks of scarlet cloth, six hats, four branches of corals, a box with seven brass vessels, a chest of sugar, two barrels of oil and a cask of honey. The kings men burst out laughing, pointing out that even the poorest Arab merchants knew that nothing less than pure gold was admissible at court. The kings stated that they could sell as ordinary merchants in the marketplace should they wish and dismissed them.

The local population became suspicious of da Gama and his men. This forced them to flee Mozambique, firing cannons into the city on their way out.

Arab traders had been trading in the area for years prior to da Gama’s arrival and the Chinese explorer Admiral Zheng He had landed there no less than seven times with up to 250 ships manned by 28,000 soldiers. It is not surprising that the King was not impressed.

The fleet arrived in Kappadu near Calicut, India, on May 20, 1498. After his reception at Mozambique, da Gama was nervous about leaving the ship so he sent a few of the lesser crew members out to swim ashore to read the mood of the natives. Later he was to go ashore himself in a very theatrical, choreographed entrance.

Vasco da Gama left Calicut (now Kozhikode) on August 29, 1498
Vasco da Gama commanded two more fleets to India.

His fleet on the second voyage consisted of 20 armed ships.

As is common, history tends to distort reality and ignore the cruelty that was the norm at the time. Da Gama was known to loot unarmed Arab ships including one carrying 400 pilgrims including 50 women and children. After taking what he wanted he locked them in the ship and set the ship on fire.

Another story has it that during his visit to Calicut he demanded that the King expel every Muslim from India. The King would refuse. In retaliation Vasco da Gama bombarded the city destroying many houses. He captured the crew of a rice vessel and cut off their hands, nose and ears.  The King sent a priest to speak to Vasco da Gama but da Gama called him a spy and cut off his lips and ears. He then proceeded to sew a pair of dog ears onto his head.

While he is known as hero, he became one at the cost of innocent lives. In spite of all the time he spent away from home he managed to have six sons and a daughter. There is a crater on the moon named Vasco da Gama.