Bartholomew Dias

Bartholomew Dias

Early Life


Bartholomew Dias was a Portuguese nobleman who was chosen by the King of Portugal to lead an expedition that would sail around the horn of Africa for the purposes of finding a trading route by sea to India. In addition, Dias would search for the Kingdom of Prester John, who was said to rule over a vast Christian empire, filled with riches and magical creatures, somewhere in Asia. During the time of Dias' expedition, the seas and oceans were largely unexplored and water routes between Europe and Asia had not yet been established.

Explorations

Dias's ship, the Sao Cristovao, and two other ships left Portugal in 1487 and set sail south along the west coast of Africa. By December of 1487, Dias had reached the west African nation of Angola. As his expedition continued south, it endured a violent storm which caused the expedition to stray south and west to a latitude well south of the horn of Africa. Turning northeast, Dias entered modern-day Mossel Bay, about 250 miles east of present-day Capetown. Although Dias wanted to sail east to Asia, his crew refused and Dias was forced to return to Portugal. Early into the return trip, Dias discovered the Cape of Good Hope in May of 1488. Dias named it "the Cape of Storms," but it was renamed by the Cape of Good Hope by the Portuguese King John II as it represented a monumental discovery and potential trade with Asia. By 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama had successfully sailed around Africa to India and Asia. Bartholomew Dias is thought to have died in 1500 when a ship he was on wrecked during a terrible storm near the Cape of Good Hope.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why was finding a sea route to India so important to Portugal?
  2. What challenges did Dias and his crew face during their voyage?
  3. Why did the name of the Cape of Storms change to the Cape of Good Hope?
  4. How did Dias' journey influence future explorers like Vasco da Gama?

Early Life

Bartholomew Dias was a Portuguese nobleman chosen by the King of Portugal to lead an expedition to find a sea route to India. He was also tasked with searching for the legendary Christian kingdom of Prester John, believed to be full of riches and magical creatures. At the time, much of the world’s oceans were unexplored, and no one had yet found a water route between Europe and Asia.

Explorations

Dias set sail from Portugal in 1487 with three ships, including his flagship, the Sao Cristovao. By December, they reached the west coast of Africa near present-day Angola. After being blown off course by a storm, the expedition veered far south and then northeast, reaching modern-day Mossel Bay in South Africa. Although Dias wanted to continue toward Asia, his crew refused. On the way back, Dias discovered what he called the “Cape of Storms,” which was later renamed the Cape of Good Hope by King John II. This discovery opened the path for future explorers like Vasco da Gama, who reached India in 1497. Dias later died in 1500 when his ship sank near the Cape of Good Hope during a violent storm.