Vasco da Gama

He was, Vasco da Gama, Portuguese investigators who found a direct sea lanes from Europe to India by sailing around Africa.
The Portuguese have long to find this path since the Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460). Year 1488 a Portuguese expedition under the command of Bartholomew Dias had reached and rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip
of Africa and back to the Portuguese. With this success, King of Portugal mahfum that the long effort to find the shortest distance to India is now close to reality. However, there are various delays, and the new year 1497 an expedition to India fully implemented. To lead the expedition that the king pointed to Vasco da Gama, a nobleman of the lower class who was born around 1460 in the town of Sines, Portugal.

Da Gama anchored unloading July 8, 1497, consisted of four ships under his command with the number of sailors all 170 people including Arabic interpreter. The first expedition sailed to the islands of Cape Verde. Then, instead he explore the African coast as was done by Dias, da Gama sailed to the south, beyond the Atlantic Ocean. He sailed on further south, and then turned east to reach Cape of Good Hope. This is a telling choice, faster than along the coast to the south, even if this act requires more courage and shrewdness navigation. Due to the chosen route, Gama's ships are not visible from the mainland for not less than ninety-three days - over two and a half times longer than Columbus' ship experienced!

Da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope on November 22, then sailed north to scour the east coast of Africa. In a voyage to the north that he dropped anchor in the various cities which controlled the Muslims, including Mambasa and Malindi is now called Kenya. In Malindi he took an Indian guide who led the nation during the 23 days across the Arabian Sea to India. Dated May 20, 1498, approximately 10 months after the departure of the Portuguese Vasco da Gama arrived at Calicut, the city's most important trade center in southern India. Hindu ruler of Calicut, Zamorin, initially welcomed the arrival of Vasco da Gama. But, then Zamorin was disappointed that the gift offered tribute da Gama cheaper too. In connection with the atrocities Muslim merchants who controlled the trade routes in the Indian Ocean, is an obstacle for Vasco da Gama went on trade transactions with Zamorin. However, when da Gama left Calicut in August, da Gama was given the charge are varieties of spices to be submitted to the Portuguese government, as well as a number of Indians.

The ride home was more difficult than left. Eat a period of about 3 months across the Arabian Sea and a lot of the crew who died of blood diseases due to mostly eat meat, but the lack of fruit and plants. Finally, only two ships survived to at home: the first ship docked in Portugal on July 10, 1499 and da Gama's ship had just reached 2 months later. Only 55 of his men to survive, meaning less than a third when the left started wandering. However, when da Gama returned to Lisbon on 9 September 1499, both he and King understood very well that the two-year journey that was a great success.

Six months later, the King of Portugal sent another expedition under the leadership of the advanced Pedro Alvares Cabral. Cabral arrived in good time in India, found a route to Brazil (although the historikus believed that there were already other Portuguese people who find it first), and returned to Portugal with a pile of spices. However, some of Cabral's men were killed in Calicut in 1502 so that da Gama was sent back there to make the punishment revenge, bringing fleet of 20 ships.

Da Gama's behavior in this expedition really fierce. Outside the coastal waters of India he seized a ship passing Arab and after moving the cargo but not passengers, he burned the ship was at sea. All these passengers on board, including women and children, perished. When he arrived at Calicut da Gama with a cocky Zamorin mengahalau ask that all Muslims from the port. When Zamorin hesitated, da Gama catch and kill him, and set aside 37 Indian sailors were then dibomnya harbor. But the wrath of helpless people granted Zamorin da Gama. On the way home da Gama established a Portuguese colony in East Africa.

For this work he received a large gift from the King of Portugal, was knighted, given the plantation, be assured pensions and assorted prize money. Da Gama did not return to India until the year 1524 when King picked up a new Portuguese Viceroy of India. A few months after arriving in India he fell ill and died there in December 1524. He was finally buried back in Lisbon. Da Gama has a wife and seven children.

The main significance of Vasco da Gama's journey is because he opened a direct sea route between Europe and India and the Far East, which could gain share dikecap by many countries.

In the short term, the greatest benefits karuan just fell in Portuguese. Through a new trade route to the East, which had been impoverished country was on the outskirts of civilized Europe was suddenly torn richest country in Europe. Portuguese quickly established colonies around colonies Ocean Indonesia. They have forts and posts of soldiers in India, Indonesia, Madagascar, on the east coast of Africa and in many places anymore. This of course is a mere addition of the areas they've mastered as Brazil and the regions other colonies in western Africa had their way up even before Vasco da Gama. The Portuguese managed to maintain areas colony until the mid-20th century.

Opening of new trade route to India by Vasco da Gama brought tremendous setback due for the Muslim merchants who had controlled the trade route in the Indonesian Ocean. Muslim traders soon completely defeated and replaced by the Portuguese place. Furthermore, overland trade route between India to Europe became useless because the sea route through Africa by the Portuguese pioneered much cheaper. This is a good bitter blow for the people and the Ottoman Turkish trading cities of Italy (like Venice) who had mastered the trade to the East. However, for others it means European goods from the Far East worth less than the original.

Finally, the greatest influence of Vasco da Gama's journey is not to Europe or the Middle East, but more to India and Southeast Asia. Before the year 1498 India's remote from Europe. Indeed, throughout the history of India is one country stands alone, unless there are outside influences that come from the northwest. Vasco da Gama's journey to break this isolation and offering direct connections to European culture by sea. European influence and power grow more powerful and more powerful in India, until the mid-19th century all over the subcontinent fell under the power of the royal crown of England. (Please note, this is the only time in history that India was united under one ruler). As for Indonesia, was originally just got the European influence, and then all fell under European rule. Only after the mid-20th century these areas gain autonomy.

People can clearly aligned with the Vasco da Gama was Christopher Columbus. In some cases, this ratio gives the excess to the Vasco da Gama. Trip, for example, brings far more impressive results. And far longer than either the Columbus travel distance measured from and duration. More than three-fold! And require more navigation acumen. (Columbus, no matter how he lost his direction, at best, he did not find the New World, while Vasco da Gama, Cape of Good Hope will be lost and gone off somewhere in Ocean Indonesia). Beyond that, not like Columbus, Vasco da Gama made it to the planned destination.

Of course debatable, Vasco da Gama did not find the New World, but it just makes the relationship between the people of Europe with countries that are already populated. If so, what's the difference in Columbus.

Travel Columbus finally got tremendous influence on culture that has not developed in the New World; da Gama's journey eventually led to changes in Indian and Indonesian cultures. In terms of assessing the significance of Columbus and Vasco da Gama, one thing to remember, though South America and North America much bigger than India, but India has more people than all the inhabitants of the New World combined!

However, clearly more influential Columbus extensive than Vasco da Gama. First, the voyage around Africa to India is not of the desire of Vasco da Gama himself. King Portugislah who decided to send the expedition was long before he chose Vasco da Gama to lead it. Meanwhile, Columbus's expedition came from Columbus' own drive, and thanks to the approach and how to take care so that Queen Isabella agreed to finance menunjangnya. If it were not for Columbus, New World (although sooner or later will find people as well) will not be trampled one knows how many years later, and perhaps other European citizens. In addition, if Vasco da Gama did not diberanakkan by her mother into this world, the king of Portuguese living select someone else to lead the expedition. Even if Vasco da Gama incompetent and failed, the Portuguese will not stop the intention for the direct line to India when he saw the possibility is not far away. And, if the Portuguese did not establish bases along the west coast of Africa, very little possibility of European nations other can first set foot in India.

Second, the European influence on India and the Far East is not comparable to European influence on the New World. Indian culture is quickly changed after contact with the West. However, in a few decades after Columbus' voyage, the New World culture practically even smash. Also there is no equation between India and the United States in the establishment of the New World. Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.