11 Unlike Almeida who believed in enhancing naval power, 12 Albuquerque believed in entrenching a Portuguese presence in the Indian Ocean through “an extensive network of permanent bases”. Taking over Almeida in 1509, Afonso de Albuquerque, the second governor (1509–15) embarked on an ambitious expansionist programme in the Indian Ocean, which began with the seizure of Goa in 1510. 9 Almeida, who was appointed by King Manuel as the first governor (1505–09) of Portuguese India, was also tasked to explore Sri Lanka and Malacca with a view to establishing forts there. In 1505, he despatched a fleet of 20 ships under Dom Francisco de Almeida with the instructions to establish fortresses in Kerala, East Africa and on the island of Socotra. 8īecause of increasing tensions with Muslims at the Malabar coast and in the Middle East, King Manuel decided to strengthen the Portuguese presence in the Indian Ocean. 7 After Portuguese navigator and explorer Pedro Á lvares Cabral led an expedition of 13 ships to India in March 1500, Portuguese ships began making annual trips to India. 6 Da Gama’s voyage assured the Portuguese King Manuel that it was possible to redirect the spice trade from overland routes to the Cape route, and simultaneously spread Christianity to the east to counter the growing Middle Eastern Islamic empire. In May 1498, the landing of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama at Calicut off India’s Kerala Coast marked the successful discovery of the maritime route linking Europe and Asia. 5 Prior to the discovery of this route, spices from Asia were sent to Europe through a combination of land and sea routes.
In 1488, Bartholomeau Dias’s voyage around the Cape of Good Hope revealed the sea route to the East Indies. Within Africa, they attempted to secure a port that would give them better access to trade within Africa and counter Muslim influence on the continent.
3 During the 15th century, the Portuguese Crown encouraged voyages of exploration and despatched fleets to Africa and subsequently Asia. Because the Portuguese did not want to be dependent on the Muslim Turks for their spices, they were determined to find a maritime route to Asia to profit from the highly lucrative spice trade. 2 In the mid-1400s, the Turks gained control of the Levant (a large area in western Asia) and the overland trade routes, causing a shift of the traditional spice routes from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea. The fall of the Mongol empire in China in 1368 led to reduced trade along the overland trans-Asian route. By the end of the 16th century, because of competition from the English and Dutch in the region, Portuguese dominance declined in Asia. 1 The capture of the port of Malacca in 1511 enabled the Portuguese to gain a foothold in the Southeast Asian spice trade. Their main motive in seeking out the maritime route was the profitable spice trade, as well as their “religious fervour national pride”. Portugal's role in the slave trade of AfricaTeacher’s guide available.The arrival of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in India in 1498 meant that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover a direct sea route to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope and, subsequently, Southeast Asia.Vasco da Gama's legacy, including the development of Portuguese spice plantations in India and New World colonies.his arrival in India and his attempts to dominate trade there.his encounters with the people of Mombasa and Mozambique.Da Gama's journey around the southern tip of Africa through the Cape of Good Hope.Vasco da Gama was at the forefront of this pursuit, leading three major expeditions to lands that Europeans had never explored. By the late 1400s, Portugal's Prince Henry was looking for a way to expand Portuguese territory and gain access to the lucrative spice trade of the Far East. This exciting new book tells the story of the relentless and at times tyrannical explorer Vasco da Gama who helped Portugal earn its reputation as the leader of the Age of Exploration. Investigative Journalism that Inspired Change.From Olden Days to Modern Ways in Your Community.