Bartolomeu Dias
Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese sailor of the late fifteenth century. In 1488 he became the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa. This showed that the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were joined, so ships could reach Asia by sea. It was a key step in the Portuguese voyages of discovery. These voyages grew out of the new spirit of exploration in Renaissance Europe.
Example
In 1488 Dias rounded the Cape at the southern end of Africa. He called it the "Cape of Storms". The Portuguese king later renamed it the Cape of Good Hope, because it promised a sea route to India.
Don't confuse with
- Vasco da Gama: Dias reached the Cape but turned back. Da Gama followed his route, sailed on, and reached Calicut in India in 1498.