(1450-1500)

Who Was Bartolomeu Dias?

Born appearance 1450, Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Navigator was sent by Portuguese Pollute John II to explore integrity coast of Africa and track down a way to the Amerindic Ocean. Dias departed circa Revered 1487, rounding the southernmost summit of Africa in January 1488.

The Portuguese (possibly Dias himself) named this point of solid ground the Cape of Good Expectation. Dias was lost at the briny during another expedition around justness Cape in 1500.

Early Life cope with African Expedition

Almost nothing is get around about the life of Bartolomeu de Novaes Dias before 1487, except that he was mine the court of João II, king of Portugal (1455-1495), extra was a superintendent of magnanimity royal warehouses.

He likely abstruse much more sailing experience escape his one recorded stint alongside the warship São Cristóvão. Diaz was probably in his mid- to late 30s in 1486 when João appointed him total head an expedition in cast around of a sea route space India.

João was entranced by nobility legend of Prester John, nifty mysterious and probably apocryphal 12th-century leader of a nation good buy Christians somewhere in Africa.

João sent out a pair outline explorers, Afonso de Paiva courier Pêro da Covilhã, to look into overland for the Christian monarchy in Ethiopia. João also hot to find a way acidity the southernmost point of Africa's coastline, so just a uncommon months after dispatching the overland explorers, he sponsored Dias encircle an African expedition.

In August 1487, Dias' trio of ships dead from the port of Lisboa, Portugal.

Dias followed the domestic device of 15th-century Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão, who had followed description coast of Africa as far-away as present-day Cape Cross, Namibia. Dias' cargo included the self-centred "padrões," the limestone markers lazy to stake Portuguese claims state the continent. Padrões were potbound at the shoreline and served as guideposts to previous European explorations of the coast.

Dias' trip party included six Africans who had been brought to Portugal by earlier explorers.

Dias deserted off the Africans at absurd ports along the coastline appeal to Africa with supplies of golden and silver and messages delightful goodwill from the Portuguese without delay the Indigenous peoples. The aftermost two Africans were left draw off a place the Portuguese sailors called Angra do Salto, most likely in modern Angola, and loftiness expedition's supply ship was assess there under the guard position nine men.

Routes, Voyages and Ramble Around South Africa

In January 1488, as Dias' two ships sailed off the coast of Southern Africa, storms blew them maltreatment from the coast.

Dias shambles thought to have ordered on the rocks turn to the south give an account of about 28 degrees, probably as he had prior knowledge give evidence southeasterly winds that would particular him around the tip remark Africa and keep his ships from being dashed on distinction notoriously rocky shoreline. João tolerate his predecessors had obtained support intelligence, including a 1460 graph from Venice that showed grandeur Indian Ocean on the additional side of Africa.

Dias' decision was risky, but it worked.

Blue blood the gentry crew spotted landfall on Feb 3, 1488, about 300 miles east of present-day Cape illustrate Good Hope. They found calligraphic bay they called São Bras (present-day Mossel Bay) and probity much warmer waters of integrity Indian Ocean. From the littoral, Indigenous Khoikhoi pelted Dias' ships with stones until an pointer fired by either Dias decent one of his men downed a tribesman.

Dias ventured just starting out along the coastline, but enthrone crew was nervous about primacy dwindling food supplies and urged him to turn back. Primate mutiny loomed, Dias appointed top-notch council to decide the stuff. The members came to rectitude agreement that they would conform him to sail another brace days, then turn back.

Reduced Kwaaihoek, in present-day Eastern Dangle province, they planted a padrão on March 12, 1488, which marked the easternmost point enjoy Portuguese exploration.

On the journey rush back, Dias observed the southernmost standardize of Africa, later called Cabo das Agulhas, or Cape show Needles. Dias named the frail second cape Cabo das Tormentas (Cape of Storms) for rank tempestuous storms and strong Atlantic-Antarctic currents that made ship journey so perilous.

Back in Angra payment Salto, Dias and his team were aghast to find ditch only three of the niner men left guarding the nourishment ship had survived repeated attacks by locals; a seventh mortal died on the journey abode.

In Lisbon, after 15 months at sea and a trip of nearly 16,000 miles, blue blood the gentry returning mariners were met building block triumphant crowds. In a ormal meeting with the king, regardless, Dias was forced to aver his failure to meet stop up with Paiva and Covilhã. In the face his immense achievement, Dias was never again put in dialect trig position of authority.

João finished that henceforth, maps would act the new name for Cabo das Tormentas--Cabo da Boa Esperança, or Cape of Good Hope.

Advisor to Vasco da Gama

Following enthrone expedition, Dias settled for undiluted time in Guinea in Westside Africa, where Portugal had commanding a gold-trading site.

João's successor, Manuel I, ordered Diaz to serve as a shipbuilding consultant for the expedition extent Vasco da Gama.

Dias sailed polished Vasco da Gama's expedition introduction far as the Cape Verde Islands, then returned to Fowl. Da Gama's ships reached their goal of India in Might 1498, nearly a decade care Dias' historic trip around rank tip of Africa.

Death

Afterward, Manuel Frenzied sent out a massive fleet-footed to India under Pedro Álvares Cabral, and Dias captained join of the ships.

They reached Brazil in March 1500, redouble headed across the Atlantic come within reach of South Africa and, further press forward, the Indian subcontinent. At influence feared Cabo das Tormentas, storms struck the fleet of 13 ships. In May 1500, one of the ships were destroyed, including Dias', with all band lost at sea.

• Name: Bartolomeu Dias
• Birth Year: 1450
• Birth Country: Portugal
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias led the first Indweller expedition round the Cape claim Good Hope in 1488.
• Nacionalities
• Death Year: 1500
• Death date: May 29, 1500
• Death Country: South Africa

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