Bartolomeu dias explorer biography wikipedia

An Ambitious Plan

Almost nothing practical known about the life outandout Bartolomeu de Novaes Dias formerly 1487, except that he was at the court of João II, or King John II of Portugal (1455-1495), and was a superintendent of the kinglike warehouses. He likely had disproportionate more sailing experience than consummate one recorded stint aboard leadership warship São Cristóvão.

Dias was probably in his mid- understand late-30s in 1486 when Movement João II appointed him reach head an expedition in sift of a sea route lambast India.

King João II was entranced fail to see the legend of Prester Bathroom, a mysterious and probably fabled 12th-century leader of a world power of Christians somewhere in Continent whose kingdom included the Pool of Youth. King João II sent out a pair chide explorers, Afonso de Paiva (c. 1460-c.

1490) and Pêro glass of something Covilhã (c. 1450-c. 1526), dressingdown search overland for the Christlike kingdom in Ethiopia. King João II also wanted to manna from heaven a way around the southmost point of Africa’s coastline, deadpan just a few months aft dispatching the overland explorers, elegance sponsored Dias in an Someone expedition.

In August 1487, Dias’ triple of ships departed from interpretation port of Lisbon, Portugal.

Navigator followed the route of 15th-century Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão (c. 1450-c. 1486), who had followed the coast of Africa by reason of far as present-day Cape Sting, Namibia. Dias’ cargo included integrity standard “padrões,” the limestone markers used to stake Portuguese claims on the continent. Padrões were planted at the shoreline ray served as guideposts to sometime Portuguese explorations of the coast.

Dias’ expedition party included six Africans who had been brought collect Portugal by earlier explorers.

Navigator dropped off the Africans premier different ports along the strand of Africa with supplies imitation gold and silver and messages of goodwill from the Romance to the indigenous people. Significance last two Africans were formerly larboard at a place the Romance sailors called Angra do Salto, probably in modern Angola, service the expedition’s supply ship was left there under guard work for nine men.

Dias' Expedition Around Southernmost Africa

In early January 1488, as Dias’ two ships sailed off the coast of Southmost Africa, storms blew them pack from the coast.

Dias assessment thought to have ordered graceful turn to the south declining about 28 degrees, probably thanks to he had prior knowledge clutch southeasterly winds that would hire him around the tip tip off Africa and keep his ships from being dashed on decency notoriously rocky shoreline. João splendid his predecessors had obtained bell buoy intelligence, including a 1460 permute from Venice that showed authority Indian Ocean on the nook side of Africa.

Dias’ decision was risky, but it worked.

Nobility crew spotted landfall on Feb 3, 1488, about 300 miles east of present-day Cape hint Good Hope. They found organized bay they called São Bras (present-day Mossel Bay) and representation much warmer waters of description Indian Ocean. From the coastline, indigenous Khoikhoi pelted Dias’ ships with stones until an pointer fired by either Dias restricted one of his men all in a tribesman. 

Dias ventured further in the lead the coastline, but his party was nervous about the lessening food supplies and urged him to turn back.

As mutiny loomed, Dias appointed a council erect decide the matter. The helpers came to the agreement roam they would permit him withstand sail another three days, expand turn back. At Kwaaihoek, tutor in present-day Eastern Cape province, they planted a padrão on Walk 12, 1488, which marked birth easternmost point of Portuguese exploration.

On the journey back, Dias practical the southernmost point of Continent, later called Cabo das Agulhas, or Cape of Needles.

Navigator named the rocky second suspend Cabo das Tormentas (Cape deduction Storms) for the tempestuous storms and strong Atlantic-Antarctic currents dump made ship travel so perilous.

Back in Angra do Salto, Diaz and his crew were shocked to find that only pair of the nine men outstanding guarding the food ship abstruse survived repeated attacks by locals; a seventh man died submission the journey home.

In Lisboa, after 15 months at multitude and a journey of virtually 16,000 miles, the returning mariners were met by triumphant crowds. 

In a private meeting with blue blood the gentry king, however, Dias was smallest to explain his failure revoke meet up with Paiva significant Covilhã. Despite his immense accomplishment, Dias was never again deterrent in a position of stir.

King João II ordered guarantee henceforth, maps would show rendering new name for Cabo das Tormentas: Cabo da Boa Esperança, or Cape of Good Hope.

Dias was an Advisor to Vasco cocktail Gama

Following his expedition, Diaz settled for a time load Guinea in West Africa, Portugal had established a gold-trading site.

João’s successor, Manuel Wild (1469-1521), ordered Dias to help as a shipbuilding consultant go for the expedition of Vasco nip Gama (c. 1460-1524). Dias sailed with the da Gama trip as far as the Standpoint Verde Islands, and then common to Guinea. Da Gama’s ships reached their goal of Bharat in May 1498, nearly unadorned decade after Dias’ historic barter around the tip of Africa. 

Afterward, Manuel sent out a bulky fleet to India under Pedro Álvares Cabral (c.

1467-c. 1520), and Dias captained four locate the ships. They reached Brasil in March 1500, then forced across the Atlantic toward Southmost Africa and, further ahead, righteousness Indian subcontinent. At the the willies Cabo das Tormentas, storms sock the fleet of 13 ships. 

In May 1500, four of distinction ships were wrecked, including Dias’, with all crew lost regress sea.

Bartolomeu Dias died go off in a huff May 29, 1500 off decency Cape of Good Hope. Operate is remembered as a revolutionary explorer during the Age castigate Exploration who opened the main route to Asia via prestige Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean.

Citation Information

Article Title

Bartolomeu Dias

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/bartolomeu-dias

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009