Vasco da Gama
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Vasco Da Gamas Family

Portuguese navigator and discoverer of the sea route to India, was born at Sines, a small seaport in the province of Alemtejo. Of da Gama’s early history little is known. His descent, according to the Nobiliario of Antonio de Lima, was derived from a noble family which is mentioned in the year 1166; but the line cannot be traced without interruption farther back than the year 1280, to one Alvaro da Gama, from whom was descended Estevão da Gama, civil governor of Sines, whose third son Vasco was born probably about the year 1460.

Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama

Vasco Da Gamas Family

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Vasco da Gama families were normal families that had intelligent men in it. In 1497, when he was a 38-year old bachelor, da Gama was selected by King Manuel I of Portugal to follow up the discovery of Bartholomew Diaz of a great ocean east off the Cape of Good Hope. His family was not originally from Portugal, but da Gama did not think of any place but Portugal as his home.

Where was Vasco da Gama Born?

The exact year of Vasco da Gama’s birth is still unknown, but he was born either in 1460 or 1469. Da Gama was born in Sines which was one of the seaports on the South-western side of Portugal.

Vasco da Gama Parents

Vasco Da Gama’s father was a knight. His name was Estevao da Gama. He served as a knight at the house of the Dule of Viseu. Vasco da Gama’s mother was Isabel Sodre, who was from a family of English origin. Estevao rose to a higher military rank later in his life and finally became a tax collector.

Vasco da Gama was the third son of the family.

Vasco Da Gamas Family
Vasco Da Gamas Family

His father’s family originally came from the southern provinces of Alentejo, which is part of Portugal. His mother’s family, on the other hand, was English. In 1484 he became a sailor. Later, in between voyages, he stayed still long enough to find a woman and marry her. His wife’s name was Catarina de Ataide. He married Catarina in 1500.

Vasco Da Gama Childhood

During his childhood, Vasco da Gama was educated as a nobleman and he served in the court of King Joao II. He was brought up in a maritime environment and trained in fishing, sailing and swimming during his childhood. At the age of fifteen, he was a sailor. In Evora, he studied navigation and astronomy. Perhaps, he learned astronomy under the guidance of the astronomer Abraham Zacuto.

Vasco Da Gamas Family

When did Vasco Da Gama Die

Vasco da Gama was 64 and living at his house in Portugal with his wife, Cateriana de Ataide, and his 6 sons when in 1524 King John III named him Viceroy to India. He had planned to settle down and enjoy his retirement in Portugal, but all of that changed.

How did Vasco Da Gama die?

He had to go to India and make sure everything was running fine. Along the way on the voyage, da Gama fell ill. Da Gama died in India shortly after arrival on December 24, 1524. He was buried in India. Later, in 1539, his remains were reburied in a chapel in Vidigueira, Portugal.

Vasco Da Gama children

Vasco Da Gama and his wife had seven children – six sons and one daughter. His sons were, Cristovao da Gama, Estevao da Gama, Alvaro de Ataide da Gama, Francis da Gama, Pedro de Silva da Gama and Paulo da Gama. His daughter was Isabel d’Ataide da Gama.

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