Bartholomeu Dias
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Short Biography about the life of Bartholomeu Dias - Navigator and Explorer
Facts, Timeline and History of Bartholomeu Dias
Major voyages of discovery and exploration
Famous Explorer - Timeline and Biography
Bartholomeu Dias (aka Bartholomew Diaz)
Short Biography of the life of Bartholomeu Dias - Navigator and Explorer
The following biography information provides basic facts about the life Bartholomeu Dias:
Nationality - Portuguese
Family - Noble Portuguese family
Career - Navigator and Explorer
Famous as : The first European to lead a 1487 voyage around the Cape of Good Hope on the Southern most tip of South Africa
Facts, Timeline & History about the life of Bartholomeu Dias -
Navigator and Explorer
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1457: Bartolomeu Dias was born in Portugal
Bartolomeu Dias came from a noble Portuguese family and his father attended the Portuguese court. It is believed that Dias came from a family of seamen and explorers including Joao Dias who sailed around Cape Bojador in 1434 and Diniz Dias who discovered the Cape Verde Islands
Bartolomeu Dias was well educated as befitted his status and would have been taught several languages, physics, geometry, mathematics and astronomy
He was a member of the royal Portuguese court and held the title of Sailing Master of the Portuguese man-of-war Sao Cristovao (San Christovao)
1481: Bartolomeu Dias joined Diogo d'Azambuja to explore the Gold Coast of Africa
1486: 10 October King John II of Portugal appoints Bartolomeu Dias leader of an expedition to sail around the southern most tip of Africa and make contact with a Christian ruler in the Indies called Prester John. Marco Polo and Vasco de Gamahad both informed the Portuguese court of the existence of Prester John, King of Ethiopia
1487: August - Bartolomeu Dias embarked from the River Tagus below Lisbon on his voyage of exploration around Africa to the Indies with two armed caravels and one supply-ship, a square-rigger, which was commanded by his brother, Pero Dias
The voyage of exploration lasted sixteen months and the expedition route travelled as follows:
Sao Jorge de Mina, the Portuguese fortress on the Gold Coast to take on extra provisions
Sailed passed the coast of Angola
December 1487 they reached Golfo da Conceicão (Walvis Bay)
Sailed into Golfo de Santo Estevao (Elizabeth Bay)
January 1488 unknowingly the sailed through a terrible storm around the Cape of Good Hope which Diaz called called Cabo Tormentosa - the Cape of Storms
Sailed North to Bahia dos Vaqueiros (Mossel Bay) where they landed February 3 1488
Landed at Bahia da Roca (Algoa Bay)
12 March 1488 west of Bushman's River mouth, they dropped anchor at a headland, called False Islet, now known as Kwaaihoek and decided to embark on their return journey home
1488: December Bartolomeu Dias returned to Lisbon having opened up lucrative trading routes from Europe to Asia and with invaluable information for future Portuguese voyages of exploration
These Portuguese expeditions were headed by Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Pedro Alvares Cabral who all used the charts prepared by Bartolomeu Dias
1497: Dias accompanied the expedition led by Vasco da Gama to India
1500 Dias accompanied Pedro Álvares Cabral on the voyage that resulted in the discovery of Brazil. This voyage mysteriously took a course to the New World and Cabral discovered Brazil - the expedition then turned back towards the south coast of Africa
1500 May 24: Bartolomeu Dias dies in a violent storm in the Cape of Good Hope
Interesting Facts, Timeline and Information about Bartholomeu Dias
Some interesting facts and biography information about the History, Life & Times of Bartholomeu Dias
Famous Explorers - Bartholomeu Dias - Navigator and Explorer
Short Biography and Timeline about the life of Bartholomeu Dias
Facts, Story and History about Bartholomeu Dias
Important accomplishments, dates and events in the life and history of Bartholomeu Dias
European Exploration
Famous European Explorers