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Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives in Calicut, India, becoming the first European to reach India by sea

Vasco da Gama ( VAS-koo də GA (H)M-ə, European Portuguese: [ˈvaʃku ðɐ ˈɣɐmɐ]; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524) was a Portuguese mariner, explorer and nobleman.

Vasco da Gama ( VAS-koo də GA (H)M-ə, European Portuguese: [ˈvaʃku ðɐ ˈɣɐmɐ]; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524) was a Portuguese mariner, explorer and nobleman. His discovery of the first direct maritime route between Europe and India via the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean from Malindi in Kenya to Kozhikode was to open up European exploration of, and commerce with, India, and is considered a landmark event and a turning point in World history.

Da Gama's first voyage (1497–1499) was the first to link Europe and Asia using an ocean route that rounded the southern tip of Africa, although he was not the first Portuguese mariner to round the Cape.

Historical Significance

Vasco da Gama ( VAS-koo də GA (H)M-ə, European Portuguese: [ˈvaʃku ðɐ ˈɣɐmɐ]; c.

Key People

Vasco da Gama

explorer

Portuguese explorer

Events Before

  1. Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for his first voyage to the New World (disputed)

    Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for his first voyage to the New World (disputed)

  2. John Cabot claims parts of North America for England in what is now Eastern Canada, believing he has found Asia in Newfo

    John Cabot claims parts of North America for England in what is now Eastern Canada, believing he has found Asia in Newfoundland

  3. Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage and becomes the first European to reach India by sea

    Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage and becomes the first European to reach India by sea

  4. Italian explorer John Cabot returns to Bristol from North America (Newfoundland), becoming the first European to do so s

    Italian explorer John Cabot returns to Bristol from North America (Newfoundland), becoming the first European to do so since the Vikings

  5. Explorer John Cabot tells King Henry VII of his trip to "Asia"

    Explorer John Cabot tells King Henry VII of his trip to "Asia"

Events After

  1. Louis XII of France after papal divorce marries Anne, Duchess of Brittany to keep duchy for the crown

    Louis XII of France after papal divorce marries Anne, Duchess of Brittany to keep duchy for the crown

  2. France & Venice sign treaty against Milan

    France & Venice sign treaty against Milan

  3. Spanish conquistador Alonso de Ojeda is the first European to sight Curacao Island

    Spanish conquistador Alonso de Ojeda is the first European to sight Curacao Island

  4. First engagement of the Battle of Zonchio between Venetian and Ottoman fleets

    First engagement of the Battle of Zonchio between Venetian and Ottoman fleets

  5. Battle of Sapienza: Turkish fleet defeats Venetians

    Battle of Sapienza: Turkish fleet defeats Venetians

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Muhammad XII, the last Emir of Granada, surrenders the city of Granada to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Casti

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Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine

Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine

Louis XII of France after papal divorce marries Anne, Duchess of Brittany to keep duchy for the crown

Louis XII of France after papal divorce marries Anne, Duchess of Brittany to keep duchy for the crown

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 20, 1498?
Vasco da Gama ( VAS-koo də GA (H)M-ə, European Portuguese: [ˈvaʃku ðɐ ˈɣɐmɐ]; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524) was a Portuguese mariner, explorer and nobleman. His discovery of the first direct maritime route between Europe and India via the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean from Malindi in Kenya to Kozhikode was to open up European exploration of, and commerce with, India, and is considered a landmark event and a turning point in World history.
Why is Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives in Calicut, India, becoming the fir... significant?
Vasco da Gama ( VAS-koo də GA (H)M-ə, European Portuguese: [ˈvaʃku ðɐ ˈɣɐmɐ]; c.
Who was involved in Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives in Calicut, India, becoming the fir...?
Key figures include Vasco da Gama (explorer).

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May 20 in HistoryYear 1498