The Portuguese in India
Why Did Europeans
Look for a Sea Route to India?
- Problem:
- After the Roman Empire fell (7th century), Arabs controlled trade
routes to India.
- Europeans couldn’t easily access Indian
goods like spices,
silk, and precious stones.
- In 1453, the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, blocking land
routes to India.
- Solution:
- Europeans wanted a direct sea route to India to avoid Arab control and high
taxes.
Why Was Europe Ready
for Exploration?
- Renaissance Spirit:
- The 15th century was
a time of curiosity and exploration in Europe.
- Europeans made advances in ship-building and navigation.
- Economic Growth:
- Europe was prospering, and demand for luxury goods (like spices) increased.
- Spices were needed for cooking and preserving food.
- Support for Exploration:
- Portugal and Spain took the lead in exploration.
- Other Europeans (like the Dutch and
English) supported them with money and ships.
Portugal’s Role in
Exploration
- Prince Henry the Navigator:
- A Portuguese prince who was obsessed with finding
a sea route to India.
- He wanted to bypass Muslim-controlled routes and spread Christianity.
- The Pope supported
him in 1454, but he died before achieving his goal.
- Treaty of Tordesillas (1494):
- Portugal and Spain divided the world into
two parts:
- Portugal could explore and claim lands east of an imaginary line.
- Spain could explore and claim lands west of the line.
Discovery of the Sea
Route to India
- Bartholomew Dias (1487):
- A Portuguese explorer who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope (southern tip of Africa).
- He proved that a sea route to India was
possible.
- Vasco da Gama (1497-1498):
- Led the first Portuguese expedition to
India.
- Reached Calicut (Kozhikode) in May 1498 after
11 months of sailing.
- This marked the beginning of European colonialism in India.
Key Points to
Remember:
- Europeans wanted a direct sea route to India to avoid Arab control.
- Portugal took the lead in exploration, supported by
the Pope and other Europeans.
- Bartholomew Dias proved the sea route was possible by
rounding the Cape of Good Hope.
- Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498, opening the door for European trade and colonization.