Dom Vasco da Gama

Toomas KaarnaOliver Süvalep

11B

General Facts

Born ca. 1460-1469 Died December 24, 1524 (aged approx.

54-64) Occupation Explorer, military naval

commander Spouse(s) Catarina de Ataíde

Early life

Father: Estêvão da Gama. Knight in the household of the Duke of Viseu, Dom Fernando.

Mother: Dona Isabel Sodré. In 1492 King John II of Portugal sent

Gama to south of Lisbon to retaliate against French ships.

Journey to the Cape

8 July 1497 with 4

ships and 170 men left

Lisbon. Over 6,000 miles in 3

Months. 60 of his 180 companions, on one of his

three ships, returned to Portugal in 1498.

Second voyage

12 February 1502, sailed off with 20 warships.

After encountering resistance from the locals, he bombarded Calicut.

Gama arrived at Calicut on October 30, 1502.

Returning to Portugal, in September 1503, he was made Count of Vidigueira.

Third voyage

Vasco da Gama was sent to the subcontinent once more in 1524.

St. Francis Church Monastery of the

Hieronymites in Belém

Legacy

Gama and his wife, had six sons and one daughter

Portugal's success The port city of

Vasco da Gama "Vasco da Gama

(The Sailor Man)"

Used materials

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1497degama.html

http://www.angelfire.com/ak/militaryorders/vascogama.html