Vasco da Gama Reaches India

What happened

Following Dias's route around Africa, in 1498 the Portuguese captain Vasco da Gama sailed on across the Indian Ocean and landed at Calicut (Kozhikode) on the coast of India — the first European to reach India by sea.

Why it matters

Da Gama's voyage opened a direct sea route to the spice markets of Asia, breaking the old overland monopolies and making Portugal a great trading power.

Sources

• The Mariners' Museum — Ages of Exploration. Vasco da Gama · Reputable source