In his voyages to India, beginning in 1497, Vasco da Gama revolutionized the economy of Europe. As the first navigator to find a route to India around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, da Gama gave Portugal the opportunity to take control of the lucrative spice routes that had been dominated for centuries by Italian and Muslim traders. In one bold stroke, da Gama laid the foundation for the Portuguese trading empire and ensured that the world economy would never be the same again. This biography of Vasco da Gama not only presents the life of this famous Portuguese navigator but also describes his impact on world events during the 16th century.