Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama (c. 1460 – 24 December 1524 in Kochi, India) was one of the most successful explorers in the European Age of Discovery. He was also the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India.

After Pedro Álvares Cabral's failure in eliminating the Assassins in India, King Manuel I of Portugal sent Vasco da Gama with 800 strong to Calicut. Da Gama was to complete what Cabral had failed, and used the guise of the expulsion of all Muslims to cause enough chaos to stir up the Brotherhood there. His fleet bombarded the city, killing hundreds, but the Captains sent to take control of the area were nevertheless assassinated, or driven from the city.