Name: Vasco da Gama

Born: 1469, in Sines, Portugal

Died: December 24, 1524, in Cochin, India

Burial Place: First at the Convent of Our Lady of the Relics in Portugal, and then in 1880 moved to the Monistary of Jeronimos.

Father: Estevao da Gama

Mother: Idsabel Sodre

Occupation: Explorer and Warrior

Discovery: Found a water route leading from Europe to India

Founder of trip to India: King Manuel I

Navigational Methods: A compass, an astrolabe, astronomical charts, and an Arab pilot

Personality as described by chronicles: "Of medium stature, gentlemen's mood, daring for any grand or risky achievement, rough when giving orders, strong enough to be feared in any dispute, hard worker and inflexible to punish delict on behalf of justice."

Ships: (first trip only) the Sao Gabriel, Sao Rafael, Berrio, and a supply ship

Trips taken to India: 3, the first on May 20, 1498, the second being in 1502, and the last in 1524