Important Events
On Jan. 1, 1492 Vasco da Gama became a naval officer and commanded ships. After that, on July 8,1497 he went on an expedition to India with about 170 crew members to find a trade route in orders of King Manuel to open up trade routes and bring back those spices.This expedition took about three months and was very dangerous because it was also controlled by Muslims. Finally on May 20, 1499 Vasco da Gama reached Calicut, India where he unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a trade agreement by saying that all water trade routes between Europe and Asia was controlled by Europeans was completed, and that using this route Portuguese sailors would travel to the Spice Islands later from India which would expand trade further East.
On 1st feb, 1502, he made a second voyage to India from Lisbon with 20 warships. The goal was to establish and expand trade,to destroy the Arab trade empire,seize control of spice trade from Arabs, and to punish hostile locals from last voyage. This was successful and this helped Portugal one of the most important trading and naval countries in the Indian ocean.
Finally, on 1st Jan. 1503, when he returned from his second voyage to India, he retired from his career of seafaring. On 25th Dec, 1524, Vasco da Gama passed away after suffering from Malaria.