Vasco da Gama

NAME Vasco da Gama

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Discovering the sea route from Europe to India around the Cape of Good Hope, breaking the Arab monopoly on Eastern trade and ushering in a new era of global commerce and Portuguese imperial dominance.

BIRTH Vasco da Gama was born around 1460 (some sources suggest 1469) in Sines, a small seaport in the Alentejo province of southwestern Portugal. Sines consisted of little more than a cluster of whitewashed, red-tiled cottages occupied mainly by fishermen. He was likely born in a house near the church of Nossa Senhora das Salas, possibly on the second floor of the castle keep where his father served as commander.

Bronze statue of Vasco da Gama at his birthplace, Sines, Portugal by Georges Jansoone

FAMILY BACKGROUND Vasco came from a noble family with strong military and maritime connections. His father, Estêvão da Gama, was a knight who served in the household of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, and later rose in the ranks of the Military Order of Santiago. Estêvão was appointed alcaide-mór (civil governor) of Sines in the 1460s and held the position until 1478. 

His mother was Isabel Sodré, daughter of João Sodré, from a well-connected family of English origin. 

Her father and brothers, Vicente Sodré and Brás Sodré, had links to the household of Infante Diogo, Duke of Viseu, and were prominent figures in Christ's military order. Vasco was the third son in the family, with siblings Paulo da Gama, João Sodré, Pedro da Gama, and Aires da Gama.

CHILDHOOD Little is known about Vasco da Gama's childhood and upbringing. Growing up in the coastal town of Sines, he would have been familiar with maritime activities from an early age. By age 15, he was familiar with the trading ships that docked in the ports, and by 20 he had already managed to become the captain of a ship. As a child of noble birth, he likely received a good education appropriate to his social status.

EDUCATION Vasco da Gama received his education in Évora, where he focused on mathematics and navigation—crucial disciplines for a future at sea. According to some accounts, he may have studied under the renowned astrologer and astronomer Abraham Zacuto. There are also indications that during the 1480s, he continued his training at an inland school specializing in navigational sciences. Around the age of 11 or 12, he underwent the Prima Tonsura ceremony at São Salvador Church in Sines, marking his entry into the clergy and the Order of Santiago, a religious-military order closely tied to Portugal’s maritime expansion.

CAREER RECORD Da Gama's career began with his naval service, where he was taught navigation. 

1492: Tasked by King John II to capture French ships, successfully completed.

1497–1499: Led the first voyage from Europe to India via the Cape of Good Hope.

1502–1503: Returned to India with force, brutally avenging Portuguese losses.

1524: Appointed viceroy of India but died shortly after arrival.

Throughout his career, he served as an advisor to Portuguese kings on Indian affairs.

APPEARANCE Vasco De Gama was short and stout, with a full beard and a ruddy complexion.

Anonymous portrait, c. 1525

FASHION As a Portuguese nobleman and high-ranking commander, Vasco da Gama would have worn clothing appropriate to his status and the era. This would have included garments made of fine fabrics, likely wool or silk, perhaps adorned with modest embroidery. During his voyages, practical, durable clothing suitable for long sea journeys would have been worn.

CHARACTER Vasco da Gama was a tough and fearless navigator who solidified his reputation as a reputable sailor. However, contemporary accounts paint a troubling picture of his personality. Historical evidence portrays him as someone who was violent and aggressive even by the standards of his time. He was described as an ill-tempered and dangerous character, willing to use violence including against unarmed civilians to achieve his objectives. Da Gama was noted for his heavy-handed approach and willingness to take what he wanted "at the point of a canon". His expeditions were marked by aggressive tactics, ruthless behavior, and the use of military might to overcome local resistance. (1)

RELATIONSHIPS Vasco da Gama married Catarina de Ataíde, a noblewoman, around 1500. Together they had six sons and one daughter: Dom Francisco da Gama (who inherited his father's titles), Dom Estêvão da Gama (who became Governor of India), Dom Cristóvão da Gama (who became Captain of Malacca), and others. 

His family relationships were strong, as evidenced by his grief over his brother Paulo da Gama's death during their return from the first voyage.

His relationship with King Manuel I was one of a loyal servant to his monarch, receiving crucial appointments and honors.

EXPEDITIONS In 1497, King Manuel I of Portugal, who seemed to have the combined ambition of Napoleon and a cruise director, decided it was high time someone found a sea route to the Indian Ocean that didn’t involve asking the Arabs for directions. For this task, he turned to Vasco da Gama, a sturdy fellow with a decent record of slapping French pirates about along the Gold Coast.

Da Gama, for his part, probably thought this sounded like a fun outing, and so on July 8, 1497, he set sail from Lisbon with four ships, 170 men, and the sort of vague instructions that implied "we’d rather you came back alive, but do bring spices if you can.” 

Vasco da Gama leaving the port of Lisbon, Portugal by Roque Gameiro 

They were out of sight of land for more than 13 weeks, which, considering no one had ever attempted such a thing before, was equal parts impressive and insane. They somehow managed to cover over 6,000 miles of open ocean, which was a bit like trying to navigate from New York to Buenos Aires in a bathtub with a windsock.

Eventually, they reached the southwestern tip of Africa—what earlier explorer Bartolomeu Dias had understandably called "Cabo das Tormentas" (Cape of Storms) but which da Gama optimistically renamed the Cape of Good Hope, a name that suggested both wishful thinking and a fairly dry sense of humour.

On December 16, they sailed past the Great Fish River, where Bartolomeu Dias had once turned around and sensibly gone home. But Vasco, who clearly had less interest in fish and more in being first, pressed on.

By Christmas Day—when most Europeans were still stuck trying to peel chestnuts without a decent recipe—da Gama had reached a previously unseen part of the South African coast. Naturally, he named it Natal, because “Natale” means Christmas in Portuguese, and explorers of the era never missed a chance to name places after either calendar events or saints.

They pushed on, reaching Mozambique in early March. Unfortunately for da Gama, Mozambique was firmly in the hands of Arab merchants who were not in the market for European visitors with brass pots and funny hats. Once the locals realized the Portuguese weren’t Muslims, they got a bit cross, and da Gama, being practical, simply left.

Next stop: Mombasa, Kenya. They arrived in early April, became the first Europeans to do so, and were promptly made to feel as welcome as a tax auditor at a beach picnic. Once again, Vasco and crew fled north, eventually reaching Malindi, where they hired a much-needed Indian pilot—someone who actually knew where India was.

Thanks to this sensible decision, on May 20, 1498, they finally made it to Calicut, India. Vasco da Gama had, against all odds and navigational probabilities, sailed from Europe to India without stopping at a single proper hotel. 

The arrival of Vasco da Gama at Calicut (Kozhikode), by Roque Gameiro, 1900.

To celebrate, he presented the ruler of Calicut with what he clearly believed were dazzling royal gifts: four scarlet cloaks, six hats, four coral branches, some brass pots, a chest of sugar, two barrels of oil, and a cask of honey. The king, who was used to getting gold and gemstones from Arab traders, was not amused. One suspects he may have politely smiled, nodded, and then quietly passed the items to his chambermaids.

Complicating matters, the Indians at the time included a community of Christians known as the St. Thomas Christians through spiritual descent from the apostle himself. Even more complicating matters, the local Arab merchants soon persuaded everyone that these oddly dressed Portuguese visitors were more trouble than they were worth. Vasco da Gama, sensing the mood, made a speedy exit before things turned ugly—and before anyone thought to impound his ships.

The return journey to Lisbon was, in a word, grim. They faced uncooperative winds, rampant disease, and various bouts of existential doubt. Da Gama’s brother Paulo became desperately ill, and Vasco, showing a rare soft spot, stayed with him at Cape Verde rather than sailing on. Paulo died en route, and da Gama, now both triumphant and bereaved, buried him in the Azores, then finally limped into Lisbon on September 9, 1499, looking a bit like someone who had just circled the Earth twice in a canoe.

One of the ships, the Berrio, had actually beaten him home, arriving in July. Its commander, Nicolau Coelho, cheerfully reported the whole thing to the court, likely omitting the parts about scurvy, hostility, and one ship disappearing entirely.

Still, it had all been worth it. The spices and gemstones that did survive the trip made a fortune for the crown, and da Gama had—somehow—done what no European had done before: found a sea route to India. His voyage smashed the Arab monopoly on spice routes and turned Portugal into the Amazon Prime of the 16th century.

But Vasco da Gama wasn’t done. In 1502, he went back to India, this time less like a pioneer and more like a vengeful pirate. Hearing that some Portuguese settlers had been massacred, he responded with chilling overkill—seizing ships, burning 300 innocent pilgrims alive, and performing acts of cruelty that even his own era thought were a bit much. At one point, he mutilated prisoners and sent their body parts in a boat with a note inviting the local ruler to use them for curry. One suspects this was not intended as a culinary suggestion.

He made a final voyage in 1524, now as Viceroy of Portuguese India, bringing along two of his sons and commanding a fleet of 14 ships. Unfortunately, the journey was cursed from the outset—half the ships were lost en route—and da Gama himself contracted malaria and died on Christmas Eve, 1524, in Cochin, India. It was a quiet end for a man who had once reconfigured the world.

Below is a portrait of an aged Vasco da Gama, as Viceroy of India and Count of Vidigueira, in Livro de Lisuarte de Abreu, c. 1560

His body was returned to Portugal in 1539, and eventually interred in proper, glittering fashion. He remains one of the great (if deeply complicated) architects of European expansion—a man who linked continents, rewrote maps, and changed history, armed only with scarlet cloaks, a compass, and a disturbingly high tolerance for vengeance.

MONEY AND FAME Da Gama's expeditions brought him considerable wealth and recognition. King Manuel I granted him the title of dom, an annual pension of 1,000 cruzados, and estates following his first successful voyage.

In 1519, he was granted the title of Count of Vidigueira by King Manuel I, created by royal decree in Évora on December 29, 1519. This title included revenues and privileges from the towns of Vidigueira and Vila de Frades. He was also appointed Admiral of the Seas of India and later became the 6th Governor and 2nd Viceroy of Portuguese India.

FOOD AND DRINK During his voyages, food and drink would have consisted of ship's rations: salted meat and fish, hardtack (biscuits), dried vegetables, and water or wine. 

De Gama's first voyage to India opened up the Oceanic spice route from Asia to Europe. Three years after his journey 100 tons of spice arrived in Portugal. By 1503 pepper sold in Lisbon was five times cheaper than in Venice. 

MUSIC AND ARTS He decorated his final home in Évora with elaborate paintings of beasts and Indians, suggesting a taste for dramatic, exotic imagery.

LITERATURE As noted by historian Sanjay Subrahmanyam, da Gama "left almost no personal writing or journals" compared to some of his contemporaries like Christopher Columbus.

Accounts of his voyages became significant historical and literary narratives, inspiring epic poems like Luís Vaz de Camões' 1572 national epic "Os Lusíadas." The poem mythologized his voyages, including fictional encounters with Venus and other deities.

NATURE As a mariner, Vasco da Gama spent a considerable portion of his life at sea, experiencing diverse marine environments and climates. His voyages contributed significantly to European knowledge of global geography, weather patterns, and maritime routes. 

HOBBIES AND SPORTS During da Gama's lifetime the concept of "hobbies" as we understand them today was quite different. For nobles and professionals of his social standing, leisure activities were often intertwined with their professional and social obligations. Activities like hunting, riding, and military exercises were both practical skills and forms of recreation for the nobility.

SCIENCE AND MATHS  Vasco da Gama’s education equipped him with a solid grounding in mathematics and navigation—vital skills for the complex art of celestial navigation. At the time, navigating by the stars required more than a compass and a good sense of direction; it involved precise calculations and a working knowledge of astronomy. Fortunately for da Gama, Portugal was leading the pack in this department. Under King John II, the Portuguese crown had assembled a Junta de Mathematicos—a panel of scientific minds tasked with advancing practical astronomy for oceanic exploration. Thanks to their innovations, Portuguese mariners had tools like the astrolabe at their disposal, which da Gama used to chart his course. 

He also relied on local expertise along the way—most notably an Indian pilot named Kanha, who used traditional instruments like the kamal to determine latitude. It was a blending of old-world science and local know-how that helped carry da Gama across thousands of miles of uncharted ocean.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Vasco da Gama was a deeply devout Christian, and his voyages carried a strong undercurrent of religious purpose. King Manuel I had tasked him not only with finding a sea route to India but also with locating Christian allies in the East—fueled by the long-standing European myth of Prester John, a fabled Christian king said to rule a hidden kingdom somewhere beyond Islam.

Da Gama was a member of the Military Order of Santiago, a religious order of warrior-knights, and his piety was more than symbolic. After successfully reaching India, he commissioned the rebuilding of the Church of Nossa Senhora das Salas in his hometown of Sines in thanksgiving. Legend has it that whenever he sailed past the coast, he saluted the church with cannon fire as a tribute to the Virgin Mary.

During his travels in South India, da Gama encountered the “Christians of St. Thomas”—a community that traced its roots back to the Apostle Thomas himself. His expeditions didn’t just redraw trade routes; they opened the door to a regular exchange of information about Asia’s diverse religious traditions, including this ancient strand of Christianity that had long predated European contact.

 

POLITICS Vasco da Gama navigated not only uncharted seas but also the shifting political tides of late 15th and early 16th century Portugal. His fortunes rose sharply after King Manuel I took the throne in 1495, bringing with him a new power structure that favored the da Gama family's allies and patrons.

As Portugal’s influence expanded eastward, da Gama became a key advisor to the crown on Indian affairs. But his approach to diplomacy was anything but delicate—he wielded both political pressure and military might to establish Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean. Local rulers were often met not with open trade but with demands backed by firepower, making it clear that Portugal had arrived not just to barter, but to control.

SCANDAL  Vasco da Gama’s legacy, while celebrated for its role in opening a sea route to India, is also shadowed by acts of extreme violence and cruelty. On his second voyage in 1502, da Gama orchestrated a massacre that remains one of the darkest chapters in Portuguese maritime history: he captured a ship of Malabar Muslim pilgrims returning from Mecca and, on October 1, ordered it burned with some 300 men, women, and children still aboard.

Da Gama demanded that all Muslims be expelled from Calicut. When the local authorities hesitated, he responded with chilling brutality: his men executed the traders and fishermen they had captured, then dismembered the bodies. The severed heads and limbs were placed in the bottom of a small boat, along with a message in Arabic mockingly inviting the city’s ruler to use the “remains” to prepare a curry. It was a calculated act of terror, intended to send an unmistakable warning about the cost of defying Portuguese demands.

His methods of establishing Portuguese control in the Indian Ocean also included hostage-taking, bombardment of coastal cities that resisted, mass executions, and the mutilation of prisoners. These were not isolated acts of war but part of a systematic use of terror as a tool of diplomacy. Today, many historians consider these actions as constituting crimes against humanity, raising uncomfortable questions about how historical figures like da Gama are remembered and celebrated.

MILITARY RECORD Da Gama held several important military positions and titles. He was a member of the Military Order of Santiago like his father. He served as Admiral of the Seas of Arabia, Persia, India, and all the Orient. 

Vasco da Gama's military career was both distinguished and notoriously ruthless.

Early Years: He first made a name for himself in 1492, when he swiftly and decisively seized French ships anchored in Setúbal, earning the attention of the Portuguese crown.

First Voyage: Though primarily an exploratory mission to chart a sea route to India, it was not without conflict. Da Gama displayed strong tactical leadership, navigating hostile waters and engaging in minor skirmishes as he pushed into unfamiliar territory.

Second Voyage – The Punitive Expedition: This mission marked a turning point. Leading a heavily armed fleet, da Gama launched a full-scale military campaign across the Indian Ocean. He targeted Muslim merchant shipping, bombarded coastal cities like Calicut, and enforced Portuguese demands with merciless force. His tactics—ranging from naval blockades to brutal acts of reprisal—secured Portugal’s foothold in the region, but at a staggering human cost.

Final Voyage as Viceroy: Appointed Viceroy of Portuguese India in 1524, da Gama’s last mission was administrative in title but military in tone. Tasked with restoring order among corrupt Portuguese officials, he wielded his authority to suppress internal dissent and reassert Lisbon’s control over its far-flung eastern colonies.

 

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS  Da Gama's health deteriorated during his maritime career due to the arduous nature of long sea voyages. During his first voyage, many crew members, including da Gama, suffered from scurvy. On his final voyage in 1524, he contracted malaria shortly after arriving in Cochin and died from illness. Some sources suggest his death may have been due to the cumulative effects of his arduous journeys, possibly consistent with anthrax bacillary infection.

HOMES Vasco da Gama was born in Sines and likely spent his childhood at the castle where his father served as commander. He later built a manor in Sines, though King Manuel ordered the work suspended and expelled da Gama and his family from Sines due to conflicts with the Order of Santiago. 

As Count of Vidigueira, he acquired properties including the towns of Vidigueira and Vila de Frades. The Casa da Vidigueira, founded by da Gama, remained in the same family until the twentieth century.

TRAVEL Da Gama's most famous travels were his three voyages to India. His first voyage (1497-1499) took him from Lisbon around the Cape of Good Hope to Calicut, establishing the longest ocean voyage ever made at that time. His second voyage (1502-1503) was primarily focused on consolidating Portuguese power and exacting revenge on Calicut. His third and final voyage in 1524 was as Viceroy of Portuguese India. His routes included stops at the Cape Verde Islands, various points along the African coast, and multiple Indian ports including Calicut, Cochin, and Goa.

Malabar Coast of India showing the path of Vasco da Gama's 4th India Armada in 1502

DEATH Vasco da Gama died on December 24, 1524, in Cochin, India. He had arrived in India in September 1524 as the appointed Viceroy and Governor of Portuguese India but fell ill shortly after arrival, possibly from malaria or the cumulative effects of his arduous journeys. He was initially buried in the Church of São Francisco in Cochin. In 1539, his remains were returned to Portugal and reinterred in the Mosteiro de Jerónimos in Lisbon.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Vasco da Gama has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and educational materials. 

Most famously, he is the central heroic figure in Luís Vaz de Camões's epic poem "Os Lusíadas" (1572), which chronicles the Portuguese discoveries.

Other notable works include The Career and Legend of Vasco da Gama by Sanjay Subrahmanyam, which provides a comprehensive analysis of his life and legacy. 

There are children's books about his explorations, educational videos documenting his voyages, and academic journals containing first-hand accounts of his expeditions. 

The opera L’Africaine by Giacomo Meyerbeer is about Vasco da Gama, but with a heavy dose of romanticized fiction. The storyline is about two women who loved him, and his voyage to a fictionalized "Africa" that may actually be Madagascar. It premiered on April 28, 1865, at the Paris Opéra (Palais Garnier)

He has appeared in historical dramas and documentaries about the Age of Discovery. Examples include Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992, where he is a minor character) and various documentary series on exploration.

The Vasco da Gama Memorial in Durban commemorates his South African landing. 

The Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon, opened in 1998, commemorates the fifth centenary of his arrival in India.

ACHIEVEMENTS First to establish a sea route from Europe to India.

Opened trade routes that enriched Portugal immensely.

Undermined Arab and Venetian spice monopolies.

Laid foundations for the Portuguese Empire in Asia.

Elevated to nobility and given the hereditary title of Count of Vidigueira.

Celebrated in Portugal as a national hero.

Source (1) How Stuff Works