How did vasco da gama died

Although I am not sure about the rest of the world, most Indians have certainly heard of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama , who was the first European to arrive on the shores of India by sea. His voyages and exploits across Africa and Asia have made him one of the most celebrated and famous explorers from the Age of Discovery.

Vasco da gama children

I too grew up hearing and learning about Vasco da Gama and his voyages to India. I grew up hearing about how he was the first explorer to link Europe and Asia by an ocean route, connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. I also learned about how his discovery of the ocean route is regarded as a significant milestone in world history as it marked the beginning of a sea-based era of global multiculturalism.

Learning about all his voyages and exploits, I could not help but admire the man and find him inspiring. For me, he was an explorer who had undertaken arduous and adventurous voyages, risking his life while discovering new sea routes to Africa and Asia and exploring new places on these continents. How could a young boy not admire him? I learned that Vasco da Gama was not just a celebrated and pioneering explorer but a cruel man whose extremely violent and hostage-taking methods set a definite pattern for western colonialism during the age of discovery and colonization.

The crimes he committed against the natives of India and several other colonies in Asia and Africa disturbed me and made me question and even condemn his legacy. However, I also understand that the times were different back then and that the age of discovery and colonization was also the age of violence. Other explorers of the time such as Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci did exactly the same.

10 lines on vasco da gama

They too committed heinous crimes against the native population of the Americas, taking them as slaves or killing them or maiming and torturing them. In fact, the whole slave trade was a direct result of this dark age of discovery and colonization. But when these disturbing facts are considered through the lens of historical context, one may understand why Vasco da Gama did what he did.