Opening the way to India

But the first fleet left the harbor of Lisbon, only in 1497. She went in the footsteps of Dias decade earlier. Began the era not only of great knowledge and discoveries, but also the great conquest and bloodshed. Carrying the European civilization to open land and to plant it by force, travelers wittingly or unwittingly paved the way for the emergence and expansion of slavery. Thus, the flotilla came in swimming. It was headed by a young nobleman, Vasco da Gama. By the end of that year, his ships had passed the farthest point known at the time, and headed north along the coast of East Africa. In Mozambique, the Portuguese got the first picture of the magnitude of the local trade: they saw the ships, loaded to the brim with gold, silver, spices, pearls and rubies. The Arabs were very dissatisfied with the advent of Christian Europeans in these waters, and tried to attack their ships. And yet, Vasco da Gama was able to hire a pilot for the voyage across the ocean to the shores of India. And in May, his ships entered the Indian port of Calcutta. And here the meeting was more than cold. This is mainly because in such a rich city no one drew their cheap goods. In the end, they still managed to barter a little spice and a letter to the king of Portugal from the Raja of Calicut. Almost a year left on the way back. At home Vasco da Gama waited for a truly triumphant reception. After all, fulfilled an old dream of Prince Henry - opened the sea route to India. Second campaign Vasco da Gama to India began in 1502. That this campaign was the first in a series of the inglorious history of European seafaring, which we mentioned above. During the voyage of Vasco da Gama ruthlessly use their weapons and did not stop to brutal violence to achieve goals. To take revenge on Muslims for their previous attack, he burned the ships with women and children who were returning home after a pilgrimage to Mecca. In the same way and acted by his followers. They are using weapons and intimidation rapidly captured the strategically important points laid seaway while cleaning their hands on all trade with the East. By this time all the more dangerous competitor in the vast ocean of Portugal became Spain. She also sought the shortest route to India. But only in a westerly direction. Closer it became the opening of the New World, which is essentially then a simple extension of shortest path to the East.