Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India by sea
Vasco da Gama undertook the first known voyage from Europe to India through the Atlantic Ocean in 1495–1499, during the rule of Portuguese King Manuel I. To build a trade route to the west and successfully travel a route that many had tried before him but failed to complete, King Manuel had ordered Vasco da Gama to India.
On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Gama set off from Lisbon with a fleet of four ships, including a 200-ton storeship, a 50-ton caravel, and two medium-sized three-masted sailing ships, the "So Gabriel" and the "So Rafael." Three interpreters, including one who understood multiple Bantu languages and two Arabic speakers, were sent with Vasco da Gama's ship. Additionally, the fleet included padres, or stone pillars, for use as markers of discovery. On their maiden voyage, they arrived in India in less than a month.
It is one of the most interesting facts about Vasco da Gama that he was the first European to reach India by sea, and the journey is frequently regarded by historians as one of the best and most successful voyages of all time.
