Arrival of Vasco da Gama
- Since the trade routes in Seas was free and no one had tried to impose any restriction on the movement of the ships and merchants- except the pirates of the sea, the Portuguese were the first to dominate the sea routes and monopolize them.
However, their aspiration to dominate the east could not stand the test of the times, and forces of history toppled them from almost all parts of India except Goa, Daman & Diu.
Arrival of Vasco da Gama
The fleet of Vasco Da Gama had arrived in India on 20 May 1498 at Kappad near Calicut. He was received by the local King of Calicut-styled Zamorin with traditional Indian hospitality. This welcome had Zamorin’s own reasons that the Europeans must have brought some gifts for him. The gifts such as hats, cloths, honey, oil etc. were not up to the expectation of the Zamorin. The result was – Vasco had to return without any concrete result. Further, the Zamorin was instigated by the Arabs that he was not a Royal ambassador but only a small time pirate. Thus the first mission of Vasco Da Gamma was an utter failure to the extent that it could not produce any tangible results for the Portuguese.
- But it was a great leap of the Portuguese, as a new route was found which was safe from the rival Arabs.
