


John was very fond of the Order of Santiago and da Gama’s career benefited from this attention.The master of Santiago was Prince John who would go on to be King John II of Portugal in 1481. Around 1480, da Gama followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Order of Santiago.Little is known of da Gama’s early life.Vasco’s mother was João Sodré and came from a well-connected family. He also became the civil governor of Sine around the time of Vasco’s birth. Da Gama’s father, Estêvão da Gama, was a knight and had a successful military career.He was the third of five sons and had one sister. Vasco da Gama was born in southwest Portugal in a seaport town called Sine.Key Facts & Information VASCO DA GAMA’S BACKGROUND

See the fact file below for more information on the Vasco da Gama or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Vasco da Gama worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. He is credited with linking Europe and Asia by an ocean route that connected the Atlantic and Indian Oceans by going around the southern tip of Africa known as the Cape of Good Hope. 1460s – 1524) was a Portuguese explorer and became the first European sailor to reach India by sea. Download the Vasco da Gama Facts & Worksheets.
