Why And How History Defines Who We Are (Part 3) By Mike Ozekhome, SAN

INTRODUCTION

In the words of Sonia Johnson, an American feminist activist and
writer, ‘we must remember that one determined person can make a
significant difference and that a small group of determined people
can change the course of history’. Last week, we started our
discourse into some defining historical facts and figures, wherein,
we x-rayed Lady Florence Nightingale, George Washington Carver and
Henry the Navigator. Today, we shall continue with another
historical icon, Vasco Da Gama.

VASCO DA GAMA (1460 / 1469 – 24 DECEMBER,
1524)

Vasco Da Gama was the third son of Estêvão da Gama, a minor
provincial nobleman who was commander of the fortress of Sines on
the coast of Alentejo^[1] province in
South-Western Portugal^[2]. Just little is known of
his early life. In 1492, King John
II^[3] of Portugal sent him to
the port of Setúbal^[4], south of Lisbon^[5], and to the Algarve^[6], Portugal’s southernmost
province, to seize French ships in retaliation for French peacetime
depredations against Portuguese shipping—a task that da Gama
rapidly and effectively performed.

THE FIRST VOYAGE

Da Gama sailed from Lisbon on July 8, 1497,
with a fleet of four vessels—two medium-sized three-masted sailing
ships, each of about 120 tons, named the “São
Gabriel” and the “São Rafael”; a 50-ton
caravel^[7], named the
“Berrio”; and a 200-ton store ship. With Da Gama’s
fleet went three interpreters—two Arabic speakers and one who spoke
several Bantu dialects^[8]. The fleet also carried
padrões (stone pillars) to set up as marks of
discovery.

Passing the Canary Islands^[9] on July
15, the fleet reached São Tiago^[10] (Santiago) in the
Cape Verde^[11] Islands on the 26th,
remaining there until August^[12] 3. Then, to avoid the
currents of the Gulf of Guinea^[13], Da Gama undertook a
long detour through the South Atlantic before attempting to round
the Cape of Good Hope. The fleet reached Santa Helena Bay (in
modern South Africa) on November 7. Unfavourable winds and the
adverse current delayed the rounding of the Cape of Good Hope until
November 22. Three days later Da Gama anchored in Mossel Bay^[14], erected a
padrão on an island, and ordered the storeship to be
broken up. Sailing again on December 8, the fleet reached the coast
of Natal on Christmas Day. On January 11, 1498, it
anchored for five days near the mouth of a small river between
Natal and Mozambique, which they called the Rio do Cobre (Copper
River). On January 25, in what is now Mozambique^[15], they reached the
Quelimane River, which they called the Rio dos Bons Sinais (the
River of Good Omens), and erected another padrão. By this
time many of the crews were sick with scurvy; the expedition rested
a month while the ships were repaired.

On March 2, the fleet reached the Island of
Mozambique^[16], the inhabitants of
which believed the Portuguese to be Muslims like themselves. Da
Gama learned that they traded with Arab merchants and that four
Arab vessels laden with gold, jewels, silver, and spices were then
in port; he was also told that Prester John^[17], the long-sought
Christian ruler, lived in the interior but held many coastal
cities. The Sultan of Mozambique supplied Da Gama with two pilots,
one of whom deserted when he discovered that the Portuguese were
Christians.

The expedition reached Mombasa^[18] (now in Kenya) on April
7, and dropped anchor at Malindi (also now in Kenya) on April 14,
where a Gujarati pilot who knew the route to Calicut, on the
southwest coast of India^[19], was taken aboard.
After a 23-day run across the Indian Ocean^[20], the Ghats Mountains of
India were sighted, and Calicut^[21] was reached on May 20.
There Da Gama erected a padrão to prove he had reached
India. The welcome of the Zamorin^[22], the Hindu ruler, of
Calicut (then the most important trading centre of southern India),
was dispelled by da Gama’s insignificant gifts and rude behaviour.
Da Gama failed to conclude a treaty—partly because of the hostility
of Muslim merchants and partly because the trumpery presents and
cheap trade goods that he had brought, while suited to the West
African trade, were hardly in demand in India. The Portuguese had
mistakenly believed the Hindus to be Christians.

After tension increased, Da Gama left at the end of August,
taking with him five or six Hindus so that King Manuel might learn
about their customs. Ignorance and indifference to local knowledge
had led da Gama to choose the worst possible time of year for his
departure, and he had to sail against the monsoon^[23]. He visited Anjidiv
Island (near Goa) before sailing for Malindi, which he reached on
January 8, 1499, after nearly three months crossing the Arabian Sea^[24]. Many of the crew died
of scurvy^[25]. At Malindi, because of
greatly reduced numbers, da Gama ordered the “São
Rafael” to be burned; there he also erected a
padrão. Mozambique, where he set up his last
padrão, was reached on February 1. On March 20, the
“São Gabriel” and “Berrio”
rounded the Cape together but a month later were parted by a storm;
the “Berrio” reached the Tagus River^[26] in Portugal on July 10.
Da Gama, in the “São Gabriel,” continued to Terceira Island^[27] in the Azores^[28], whence he is said to
have dispatched his flagship to Lisbon.

NOW THIS THE SECOND VOYAGE

To exploit Da Gama’s achievement, Manuel I dispatched the
Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares
Cabral^[29] to Calicut with a fleet
of 13 ships. The profits of this expedition were such that a third
fleet was soon fitted out in Lisbon. The command of this fleet was
given to Da Gama, who in January 1502 received the title of
admiral. Da Gama commanded 10 ships, which were in turn supported
by two flotillas of five ships each, each flotilla being under the
command of one of his relations. Sailing in February 1502, the
fleet called at the Cape Verdes, reaching the port of Sofala^[30] in East Africa^[31] on June 14. After
calling briefly at Mozambique, the Portuguese expedition sailed to
Kilwa, in what is now Tanzania. The ruler of Kilwa, the amīr
Ibrāhīm, had been unfriendly to Cabral; da Gama threatened to burn
Kilwa if the Amīr did not submit to the Portuguese and swear
loyalty to King Manuel, which he then did.

Coasting southern Arabia^[32], Da Gama then called at
Goa^[33] (later the focus of
Portuguese power in India) before proceeding to Cannanore, a port
in southwestern India to the north of Calicut, where he lay in wait
for Arab shipping. After several days an Arab ship arrived with
merchandise and between 200 and 400 passengers, including women and
children. After seizing the cargo, Da Gama is said to have shut up
the passengers aboard the captured ship and set it afire, killing
all on board. As a consequence, Da Gama has been vilified, and
Portuguese trading methods have been associated with terror.
However, the episode is related only by late and unreliable sources
and may be legendary or at least exaggerated.

 AND THIS THE
THIRD VOYAGE

Obscurity surrounds the reception of Da Gama on his return by
King Manuel. Da Gama seemingly felt himself inadequately
recompensed for his pains. Controversy broke out between the
Admiral and the Order of São Tiago over the ownership of the town
of Sines, which the Admiral had been promised but which the order
refused to yield. Da Gama had married a lady of good family,
Caterina de Ataíde—perhaps in 1500 after his return from his first
voyage—and he then appears to have retired to the town of Évora^[34]. He was later granted
additional privileges and revenues, and his wife bore him six sons.
Until 1505 he continued to advise the King on Indian matters, and
he was created count^[35] of Vidigueira in 1519.
Not until after King Manuel died was he again sent overseas; King
John
III^[36] nominated him in 1524
as Portuguese viceroy^[37] in India.

Arriving in Goa in September 1524, da Gama immediately set
himself to correct the many administrative abuses that had crept in
under his predecessors. Whether from overwork or other causes, he
soon fell ill and died in Cochin in December. In 1538 his body was
taken back to Portugal. (To be continued).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually
encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won
because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats”.
(B. C. Forbes).

 LAST LINE

I thank Nigerians for always keeping faith with the Sunday
Sermon on the Mount of the Nigerian Project, by Chief Mike
Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb., Ph.D, LL.D I enjoin you to look
forward to next week’s treatise.

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