Gama:Entdeckung des Seewegs n.Indien

Few undertakings have had such significant political, economic, cultural, and existential implications for the development of humanity as the voyages of Vasco da Gama. The journeys of the Portuguese navigator represented a navigational masterpiece that overshadowed all known maritime pioneering feats of the time, with the exception of Columbus's discovery of America. When Vasco da Gama set sail on July 8, 1497, with a total of four ships and a crew of one hundred sixty men, he ushered in a new era of world trade and made a nautical discovery that would go down in history: the discovery of the sea route to India. An anonymous chronicler recorded the details of this adventurous expedition, through which Portugal secured the coveted monopoly in the lucrative European spice trade. As a traveling officer on da Gama's flagship, he provides a vivid eyewitness account that brings to life the numerous hardships and struggles of this expedition in straightforward language. The letters and reports of other passengers, such as Mateo di Begnino, an Italian merchant, also offer deep insights into the challenges and wonders of the journey, while not shying away from the brutal violence sometimes inflicted upon the local population along the way.