Who discovered India? The history of the search for the path to the fabulous East

Before talking about who discovered India, it is necessary to understand why Europeans began to ask themselves questions of finding a new way to this far-off country. The main reason was that the Mongols, one after another, conquered almost all important points on the Great Silk Road. Trade relations for the conquerors were not a priority, and therefore by the end of the 13th century. Trade with China and India for Europe has become much more complicated. Arab merchants, who profited as they could, were in charge of it.

First attempts to find another way to India

Immediately after Saint-Jean d'Arc - the last bastion of Europe in the East - fell, Genoa began to equip an expedition to search for a sea route to India. On the two galleys, equipped with provisions, fresh water and everything necessary, the brothers Vivaldi went. According to the plan, they were supposed to first arrive in Ceuta (Morocco), and from there they would go to the ocean to find Indian countries and buy the coveted valuable goods there. There is no reliable data confirming whether the Mariners managed to reach the shores of India. However, already at the beginning of the 14th century. On the maps begin to appear quite accurate outlines of Africa, indicating that they were able to at least bypass the southern hot continent.

The famous expedition of Vasco da Gama

Some researchers still call the brothers Vivaldi those who discovered India. However, official data disagree with this statement, and Vasco da Gama is considered the sole discoverer of the sea route to the East.

For a century after the Vivaldi expedition, Spain and Portugal sent ships one after another, but none of the travelers achieved success. In the summer of 1497, on the orders of Manuel I, only ascended to the Portuguese throne, another flotilla was prepared to find a way to India. The monarch instructed the commander Vasco da Gama to command the four ships. He was a literate and intelligent man, experienced in palace intrigues, who, according to Manuel I, could have coped with the task entrusted to him as well as possible. And he was not mistaken, because Vasco da Gama is now known to us as the one who discovered India.

The preparation for the expedition from the beginning to the very departure was led by Bartolomeo Dias, a man who, in 1488, although he did not open the sea route to India, reached the extreme point of Africa, which, from his light hand, was named Cape Storm (later renamed Cape of Good Hope ).

The experience gained by Dias was very useful at the same time. In particular, it was he who helped to design new ships for the trip, because, in his opinion, the usual caravels for such a serious voyage were not categorically suitable.

The last preparations were completed, and on July 8, 1497, the Vasco da Gama expedition moved on a long journey. On the sides of four ships were collected 170 best sailors of Portugal. Many people knew the beginning of the journey when swimming with Dias. All vessels were equipped with the best navigational instruments at that time, the team had the most accurate maps. At the initial stages, Dias was accompanied by a flotilla, and already near the islands of the Cape Verde descended to the shore.

The expedition Vasco da Gama was forced to make a huge detour in order to bypass the strip of calm in the Gulf of Guinea. Christmas 1497 the expedition met already during the voyage along the eastern coast of Africa. At that time, out of 4 ships, only three remained: one sank near the Cape of Good Hope. A calm movement to the north was strongly hindered by the south-west current, and therefore the voyage was not easy.

However, on March 2, 1498, the expedition successfully reached Mozambique. Here, in those who discovered India afterwards, there was a rather unpleasant incident with the local ruler. Despite the fact that the Portuguese did not regret the means to equip the expedition, they miscalculated with gifts. As a result, instead of establishing relations with the Mozambican sultan, the Europeans worsened them even more and were forced to leave these places as soon as possible.

The next haven of the da Gama expedition was found in Mombassa, but people were not too welcome there. And only in the third port, called Malindi, the team was able to rest, gain strength. The local ruler treated the Portuguese as best as possible, and even brought down Gama and Ahmed ibn Majida, his best navigator. Ibn Majidah followed the expedition to the final destination.

The solemn event - the discovery of India - took place on May 20, 1498. It was then that the flotilla arrived at the port of Calicut. However, relations between the Portuguese and the local prince and Muslim merchants also did not develop in the best way. Another conflict forced da Gama to leave the port, without even waiting for a fair wind.

However, the original goal was achieved, and Vasco da Gama remained in the history of humanity to those who opened the way to India by sea.