Sea route to India (Portuguese sailors). Great navigators left Lisbon

100 great geographical discoveries Balandin Rudolf Konstantinovich

SEA ROUTE TO INDIA (Portuguese sailors)

SEA ROUTE TO INDIA

(Portuguese sailors)

Theoretically, the route from Portugal to India around Africa was opened already at the end of the life of Henry the Navigator. Documentary evidence of this has been preserved: a map of the world larger than human height. It was compiled in the monastery of Murano near Venice, and it was called the Great Venetian, or Fra Mauro map. It depicts Europe, Asia and Africa; the ocean extends around all inhabited land, and it is possible from Western Europe reach India by circumnavigating Africa.

Of course, the map travel only mentally. However, in true geographical discoveries, thought precedes deeds. The large Venetian map clearly showed: for the implementation of the eastern sea route from Europe to India all it takes is time, money, perseverance and a bit of luck.

Here it is appropriate to recall the saying: overseas a heifer is a half, but a ruble is transported. No matter how cheap precious spices are in India, it turned out that the tempting path was too far. Wouldn't it be easier to trade through intermediaries on the already beaten caravan, river and sea routes through the Mediterranean and Black Seas?

Such doubts of the Portuguese were quite reasonable. However, quite unexpectedly, their commercial and political competitors, the Spaniards, had their say. They decided to get to the east, sending their ships in the opposite direction - to the west! And they quickly achieved success (not realizing that they did not reach Asia).

But why did the Portuguese follow the eastern route to India for almost a century, abandoning the search for the western route?

An essential role was played by the fact that Henry the Navigator and his successors used maps that depicted a round Earth and, naturally, a flat one (it is a difficult task to depict the surface of a ball on a flat sheet). And what is there, on the other half of the globe, except for the desert ocean? There was no reliable data on the real size of our planet at that time.

... After Cape Bojador, the southern tip of Africa became a critical frontier for Portuguese sailors. The main natural obstacles were the Benguela Current, storms and southeast trade winds. For light ships under sail, it was not easy to overcome these obstacles. Once upon a time, a flotilla equipped by Pharaoh Necho chose the path - by chance - the most convenient way to go around Africa: clockwise. If moving to reverse direction along the coast, then in the west you meet the resistance of a warm current. It runs northward between the Cape Verde Islands and the mainland. True, then swimming is favored by a large warm Guinean current, washing from the northwest to the southeast and then to the south, the shores of the bay of the same name. Sailboats can go this way quite quickly. But behind Cape St. Martin (at the latitude of St. Helena), a branch of the cold and powerful Benguela Current moves north along the continent.

For this reason, the easiest, most convenient and fastest route from the northwestern tip of Africa to the southern one does not lie in a straight line and does not run along the coast, but is directed across the Atlantic Ocean, to the southwest, then along the Brazilian Current to the south and, finally, to the East. (Approximately such a course was chosen by Vasco da Gama). This is how the principle of space-time relativity manifests itself in geography: movement in the direction of the prevailing winds and currents of the World Ocean passes faster than along a shorter path, but against atmospheric and sea currents.

This example clearly shows how great importance had in the history of navigation knowledge of natural conditions, in the first place - the direction and strength of air and water masses. Not surprisingly, such information was kept strictly secret.

So, the discovery by the Portuguese of the sea route from Western Europe to South Asia lasted ... 85 years. Its beginning is usually considered the capture of Ceuta in 1415, and the end is the autumn of 1499, when Vasco da Gama returned to Lisbon after visiting India.

The first half of this discovery was completed in 1462, two years after the death of Prince Henry, when his sailors entered the Gulf of Guinea. Regular expeditions in this direction began only in 1470. After 5 years, it was possible to move to the Southern Hemisphere, however, only two degrees, to Cape St. Catherine.

The next two expeditions were led in 1482 by Diogo Can. In four years, he was the first European to delve more than 20 degrees into the Southern Hemisphere, exploring one and a half thousand miles of the African coast, right up to the Namib Desert.

A significant thrust to the south was made by the skilful navigator Bartolomeu Dias (Bartolomew Dias). His flotilla (of three small ships) left Lisbon in 1487, began to explore the shores south of the mouth of the Congo River (Zaire) and went south further than Diogo Cana along the desert lands, passing the zone of the Southern Tropic. A strong oncoming current and a storm forced Dias to deviate to the west, towards the open ocean.

They were carried far to the south of the continent's outskirts (this, of course, they could not know). Although it was summer in the Southern Hemisphere (January 1488), it was getting colder. Their ships were not adapted for sailing in cold seas, the crew did not have proper clothing. The sailors were most afraid not even of a storm, but of death from the cold. Finally, the storm subsided, warmer. Dias headed east. For several days they could not see the land. Diash rightly decided that they rounded the outskirts of the mainland, and turned the ships to the north.

Only on February 3 did they manage to reach the shore. Several half-naked shepherds were grazing cows in the meadow. Seeing the strangers, the natives began to shout and wave their hands. With a shot from a crossbow, the Portuguese killed one of them, the rest fled.

Naming the bay Pastusheska and typing fresh water The Portuguese moved east. However, the team began to grumble, tired of the difficult voyage, demanded to return to their homeland. Dias begged to wait another three days. The coast turned gently to the northeast. Dias was sure that now the way to India was open. Alas, in order to avoid a rebellion of the team, the captain was forced to give the order to turn back. The only consolation for him was a stone pillar (padran) erected by his expedition with a cross on the farthest point of the African coast for Europeans.

According to the 16th-century Portuguese historian João Barros, Dias “felt such a feeling of bitterness, such grief, as if parting with his beloved son, doomed to eternal exile; he recalled the danger with which both for himself and for all his subordinates he went such a long way only to put up this stone pillar, and God did not let him do the most important thing.

Having passed a cape in southern Africa, around which they fell into a strong storm, the Portuguese called it Tormentosu ("Stormy"). But when Dias, returning to Lisbon, reported his expedition to King Juan II, he decided that there was no need to disturb the navigators in advance, who now had a way to India, and renamed Stormy into the Cape of Good Hope.

However, there was little hope of reaching India by this route: it turned out to be too difficult and long. The King of Portugal did not rush to send a new expedition. He was forced to do so only by changed circumstances.

In March 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain, announcing his discovery of the islands of Asia across the Atlantic Ocean (for which he took the islands caribbean). Pope Alexander VI (“the most perfect incarnation of the devil on Earth,” according to Stendhal) by his decree divided the world across the Atlantic Ocean in such a way that Portugal got the lands south of the equator, and Spain - to the north ...

For the Portuguese, it became clear: it was necessary to master the eastern route to India. In 1497, a new expedition was organized with the aim of circumnavigating Africa and reaching the coveted (for merchants) India. The new king, Manuel I, appointed the noble courtier Vasco da Gama as its head. This enterprise was considered honorable and responsible, but extremely difficult and associated with possible hostilities. Vasco da Gama, five years earlier, showed his resourcefulness, courage and determination in the fight against French privateers (pirates in public service). Perhaps this is what the king remembered when he determined the head of the expedition - more military and commercial than consistent. In addition, an authoritative diplomat was required in case it happened to conclude trade and political agreements with the rulers. Asian countries. Vasco da Gama was not an experienced sailor. In all other respects, his candidacy was quite suitable. And excellent captains and navigators, of which there were many in the country, could lead the ships.

In July 1497, Vasco da Gama's flotilla (four large ships) went to the ocean. They headed south and, passing the Cape Verde Islands, instead of entering the Gulf of Guinea, began to go around it from the west, moving further and further away from the mainland. This made it possible, approaching the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope and using the currents, to turn to the east, relatively easily and quickly reaching the southern tip of Africa.

In Shepherd's Harbor, Vasco da Gama made a peaceful bargain with the natives, receiving a fat bull and ivory bracelets in exchange for red caps and bells. Moving further to the north-northeast, the Portuguese met more and more civilized tribes who mastered agriculture and metallurgy, and established trade relations with the Arabs.

In the Zambezi Delta, the Portuguese were forced to stop for a month to repair ships. Many of the sailors were seriously ill with scurvy, and several died. Scurvy was one of the terrible enemies of sailors until the second half of the 18th century, or rather, not the disease itself, but ignorance of its causes and measures to combat it. Even among the lush tropical vegetation, Europeans often died from this disease, never realizing that there were cures for it around - nutritious plants containing vitamin C.

Going further north, the Portuguese increasingly met the ships of Arab merchants, who exported slaves, ivory, ambergris, and gold from these areas. Realizing that the Europeans were their competitors, the Arabs did everything possible to make it difficult for them to navigate. IN major port Mombasa, located near the equator, it came to an armed conflict. Vasco da Gama showed determination and cruelty, ordering the torture of prisoners and capturing merchant ships like a real pirate.

At the next stop in the harbor of Malindi, Vasco da Gama was friendly met by a local sheikh (who was at enmity with Mombasa) and gave them an experienced Arab pilot Ahmed Ibn Majid, an expert on navigation. He ordered to take a course to the northeast, in open ocean. With the accompanying monsoon and sea current they quickly reached the coast of India and on May 20, 1498, stood in the roadstead near the large city of Calicut (not to be confused with Calcutta, located on opposite side peninsulas of Hindustan). True, their business did not go very well. Almost all foreign trade in Calicut was controlled by the Arabs. (They greeted the aliens with the words: "What devil brought you here?")

Nevertheless, Europeans managed to acquire spices, precious stones, silk fabrics. Unable to pay customs fees, Vasco da Gama seized noble hostages (also a common pirate trick) and exchanged some of them for Portuguese sailors captured in the port and his cargo detained at customs.

The return journey to Lisbon was completed without much incident. In the summer of 1499 the expedition ended. Only two ships and less than half of the sailors returned. Delivered goods fully paid off the costs of the enterprise and even brought some income.

They rejoiced in the royal palace: the eastern sea route to India was finally opened, promising the flourishing of trade and the enrichment of the country and its rulers. Vasco da Gama received honors and congratulations.

And in the modest homes of the sailors who died in the voyage, sorrow reigned. No one glorified nameless young people who did not return to their homeland. “But they were the backbone of the expedition ... - correctly noted the American historian G. Hart. “They, along with Vasco da Gama, are also heroes of the opening of the sea route to India.”

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The great history of Portugal was created by great navigators. For three centuries, since the emergence of an independent state in 1095, the country has managed to defend its sovereignty and raise a special breed of people who are ready to sail into uncharted expanses for the sake of new lands and fabulous riches. The maritime expansion of Portugal is largely due to the fact that it had no other ways to expand its territories - the only neighbor of Portugal was huge Spain.
The inspirer of this expansion is the Portuguese Infante Henry, nicknamed the Navigator (1394-1460). It was Heinrich who organized many sea expeditions and founded an observatory and a navigation school, where the best mathematicians and cartographers of those times prepared future conquerors of the world. Expeditions of Henry the Navigator discovered a number of islands near west coast Africa (Madeira Island), the Azores, the Cape Verde Islands, rounded Cape Bojador, Cape Cabo Blanco, explored the mouths of the Senegal and Gambia rivers. The cards that were Portuguese sailors, were the subject of special storage and were considered state secrets.
But the very era of the Great geographical discoveries began under Manuel I the Happy (1469-1521). This period proved to be the most successful for Portugal's colonial ambitions. Vasco da Gama not only opened the way to India around the coast of Africa (1498), but also annexed the Moluccas to Portugal and created the opportunity for the emergence of many Portuguese trading posts.
Many states on the coast of East Africa became subjects or allies of Portugal. Brazil, Madagascar, Mauritius, Ceylon, Malay archipelago, Macau, Japan - many lands previously inaccessible to Europeans became sources of wealth for Portugal. Slave trade, trade in spices, gold, precious stones, precious woods, ivory, etc., brought huge profits to Portugal, which compensated for any losses in the dangerous business of developing distant territories.
But in 1578, the young Portuguese king Sebastian died in North Africa during an unsuccessful military expedition, and in 1580 the Spanish king Philip II sent the Duke of Alba to Portugal to seize the Portuguese throne. Although Philip was elected King of Portugal as a result, provided that the Kingdom of Portugal and its overseas territories did not become Spanish regions, and ruled Portugal under the name Philip I, all the same, Portuguese independence came to an end. When Portugal regained its sovereignty in 1640, many pieces of the colonial pie were lost forever.

Portuguese Republic - a country of seafarers

The proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the long coast create ideal conditions for the development of navigation. At first, the ships did not go far from the coast. Later, during the great geographical discoveries, sailors began to make distant expeditions, which allowed Portugal to become one of the first colonial powers.
Portugal occupies western part Iberian Peninsula, and the length of its coastline is 832 km.
The small country of Portugal impresses with an abundance of both natural and historical attractions. The period called by historians “the dictatorship of Salazar-Caetano” (1926-1974) seemed to remove Portugal from the life of the rest of Europe for a long time and closed its vast territory to the world. cultural heritage. But the country successfully re-entered the community European states, and today the beauty of Portugal is admired by millions of tourists.
Portugal managed to keep its natural landscapes and clean air. sandy beaches in the southern part of the country they are in no way inferior to the beaches of Italy or Spain, and the rocks of the north of the country, blown by the cold Atlantic winds, attract romantic travelers.
In the northernmost part of Portugal is national park Peneda Geres. Attractions of these places - burials III-I! centuries BC e., stone Roman road signs, Romanesque Church Ruins.
In the center of the northern part of the country, where the highest mountain range Portugal Serra da Estrela, there is ski resort. To the west of the Serra da Estrela grows the "magic forest" "Bucasu" with many rare species of animals and plants. This forest park has been guarded by monks for centuries. And in the protected area near the border with Spain, where the San Mamede Range is located, wild bears are still found.
In every region of Portugal there are ancient castles, beautiful palaces, monasteries, churches, cathedrals, museums. And of course, the palm belongs to the two most big cities Portugal - Lisbon and Porto. There is a Portuguese proverb: "Braga offers prayers to the Lord, Coimbra sings, rejoices, and works hard."
The explanation is simple - there are many cathedrals and churches in Braga, in Coimbra there is an ancient university, where there are many students who are very fond of Portuguese urban romance fado. As for Lisbon, the resorts of Estoril and Cascais are located next to it, where fun really reigns.
The city, which is already 20 centuries old (it was founded by the Phoenicians), can probably afford a cheerful disposition. Although badly damaged after the famous earthquake, Lisbon still retained many monuments, such as the castle of St. George, the monastery of Jeronimos, the cathedral, the Belém tower (a striking example architectural style"Manueline" (1515-1520)), which served as a harbor for Portuguese navigators in the Middle Ages. Looks at the city from the high bank of the Tagus River huge statue Jesus Christ (200 m), created in 1959 on the model of the monument in Rio de Janeiro. There are many museums here, including the Museum of Henry the Navigator.
Porto - "city-worker", gave the name not only to the famous wine, but to the whole country. By the way, it is in Porto that the port wine storage is located. And the bridge, built according to the project of Gustave Eiffel, leads to it.

general information

Official name: Portuguese Republic.
Territorial-administrative division: the territory of continental Portugal is divided into 18 districts ("dishtrito"), which are divided into 308 municipal areas ("consells"), consisting of parishes ("freguesia"). Island territories ( and ) have the status of autonomous regions.
State structure: parliamentary republic.
Capital: Lisbon, 509,751 people (2006).
Language: Portuguese.
Currency: euro.
Religion: About 94% of the population is Catholic.
Autonomous regions: Madeira Island, Azores.
The largest rivers:, Guadiana.
The most important ports: Lisbon, Porto, Setubal, Faro.
Airports: Portela Airport (Lisbon); Pedras Rubras Airport (Porto); airport in Faro; Funchal, or Santa Catarina, is the airport of the island of Madeira; international airports Azores - on the islands of Santa Maria, San Miguel, Terceira.

Numbers

Area: 92,391 km2.
Population: 10,707,924 (2009).
Population density: 115.8 people / km 2.
population growth: 0.305% per year.
Largest cities: Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Coimbra, Faro, Setubal.
highest points: Estrela (1993 m), volcanic island Pico (Azores) - (2351 m).
Border length: 1215 km (with Spain).
Coast: 832 km.

Climate and weather

Humid subtropical in the north and Mediterranean in the south.
Winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean significantly affect the climate of Portugal (most of all in the west and north).
Average annual temperature: +9°С,.+20°С in Porto, +11°С…+22°С in Lisbon, + 12°С…+24°С in Faro.

Economy

Portugal's GDP in 2008 was $245 billion.
Purchasing power parity GDP per capita (estimated by the IMF) in 2008 $22,264
Three quarters of all production capacity Portugal is concentrated in the areas of Lisbon-Setubal and Porto Braga-Aveiro. These are oil refining, chemical, steel, automotive, electronic, pulp and paper and food industries, production of building materials and electronic equipment. As well as the production of textiles, shoes, clothing, furniture, wine, pulp and paper products and a variety of consumer goods.
In Portugal, there are large mines and mining of tungsten, tin, chromium, and uranium. Tungsten is exported in significant volumes.
43% of the country's territory is used for agriculture. They cultivate grapes, figs, peaches, almonds, wheat, corn, potatoes, legumes, oats, rye, barley and rice, and also keep cattle. Portugal is one of the leading Western European wine exporting countries. Especially popular are Portuguese dessert wines, port and muscat, as well as rosé table wines. Developed fishing.
Successful forestry - a third of the country's territory is covered with forests. Portugal ranks first in the world in the production of cork oak, it provides half of the world's need for it.
Tourism is developed. At the end of 2008, tourism brought in a profit of 7 billion 520 million euros.
In 2009 - an increase of 20% (according to preliminary results).

Attractions

■ Lisbon(Jeronimos Monastery and Belém Tower, baroque churches, Ajuda Royal Palace and Alfama and Bairo Alto quarters);
■ Palace of the Palacio da Pena in Sintra;
■ Monasteries in Alcobas, Batalha, Tomar;
■ Obidos(city fortress);
■ Coimbra(Church of Santa Cruz, Cathedral of Se Velha, old university);
■ Conimbriga(remains of an ancient Roman city);
■ Temple of Our Lady of Fatima in Fatima.

Curious facts

■ In 1493, the papacy mediated the division of the future colonial world between Spain and Portugal. And with a special bull gave everything that west of the islands Cape Verde, Spain, and everything to the east - Portugal.
■ The very life of Luis Camões (1524-1580), author of the world-famous poem "The Lusiades" historical events and the achievements of Portugal and the discovery of India by the navigator Vasco da Gama, is a vivid evidence of the history of the country. Poet, warrior, sailor, duelist, Camões lost one eye when he fought in Morocco, participated in a sea expedition to India, got rich in trade and lost his entire fortune during a shipwreck. The poet received a tiny pension from King Sebastian, to whom he dedicated his poem, and died in poverty.

■ The town of Fatima, where in 1917 the miraculous apparition of the Mother of God, seen by three small children, took place, is famous as a center of worship of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year. The Lusiada, which tells about the historical events and achievements of Portugal and the discovery of India by the navigator Vasco da Gama, is a vivid evidence of the country's history. Poet, warrior, sailor, duelist, Camões lost one eye when he fought in Morocco, participated in a sea expedition to India, got rich in trade and lost his entire fortune during a shipwreck. The poet received a tiny pension from King Sebastian, to whom he dedicated his poem, and died in poverty.
■ The Lisbon earthquake on November 1, 1755 was one of the most tragic events of the 18th century. The city was almost immediately wiped off the face of the earth, thousands of people who were at that moment in the temples were buried under their ruins. The catastrophe was completed by a tsunami and fires. The most valuable historical documents disappeared without a trace in the fire - a manuscript written by King Charles V and dedicated to the history of Portugal, numerous medieval maps of the world, handwritten books of the Enlightenment and the first Portuguese printed books,
■ Fado, an urban romance played to the accompaniment of a twelve-string guitar, is a truly Portuguese genre. Usually it is a song about tragic love, drawn out and expressive. Professional fado performers - fadishtu - are popular all over the world today.
■ The town of Fatima, where in 1917 the miraculous apparition of the Mother of God, seen by three small children, took place, is famous as a center of worship of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year.

Travel has always attracted people, but before they were not only interesting, but also extremely difficult. The territories were not explored, and, setting off on a journey, everyone became an explorer. Which travelers are the most famous and what exactly did each of them discover?

James Cook

The famous Englishman was one of the best cartographers of the eighteenth century. He was born in the north of England and by the age of thirteen he began to work with his father. But the boy was unable to trade, so he decided to take up navigation. At that time everything famous travelers of the world went to distant countries on ships. James became interested in maritime affairs and moved up the career ladder so quickly that he was offered to become a captain. He refused and went to the Royal Navy. Already in 1757, the talented Cook began to manage the ship himself. His first achievement was the drawing up of the fairway of the St. Lawrence River. He discovered in himself the talent of a navigator and cartographer. In the 1760s he explored Newfoundland, which attracted the attention of the Royal Society and the Admiralty. He was assigned to travel across the Pacific Ocean, where he reached the shores of New Zealand. In 1770, he did something that other famous travelers had not achieved before - he discovered new mainland. In 1771, Cook returned to England as the famous pioneer of Australia. His last journey was an expedition in search of a passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean s. Today, even schoolchildren know the sad fate of Cook, who was killed by cannibal natives.

Christopher Columbus

Famous travelers and their discoveries have always had a significant impact on the course of history, but few have been as famous as this man. Columbus became a national hero of Spain, decisively expanding the map of the country. Christopher was born in 1451. The boy quickly achieved success because he was diligent and studied well. Already at the age of 14 he went to sea. In 1479, he met his love and began life in Portugal, but after the tragic death of his wife, he went with his son to Spain. Having received the support of the Spanish king, he went on an expedition, the purpose of which was to find a way to Asia. Three ships sailed from the coast of Spain to the west. In October 1492 they reached Bahamas. This is how America was discovered. Christopher mistakenly decided to call the locals Indians, believing that he had reached India. His report changed history: two new continents and many islands, discovered by Columbus, became the main travel destination of the colonialists in the next few centuries.

Vasco da Gama

Portugal's most famous traveler was born in Sines on September 29, 1460. From a young age, he worked in the Navy and became famous as a confident and fearless captain. In 1495, King Manuel came to power in Portugal, who dreamed of developing trade with India. For this, a sea route was needed, in search of which Vasco da Gama had to go. There were also more famous sailors and travelers in the country, but for some reason the king chose him. In 1497, four ships sailed south, rounded and sailed to Mozambique. I had to stay there for a month - half of the team had scurvy by that time. After a break, Vasco da Gama reached Calcutta. In India, he established trade relations for three months, and a year later he returned to Portugal, where he became a national hero. The opening of the sea route, which made it possible to get to Calcutta past the east coast of Africa, was his main achievement.

Nikolay Miklukho-Maclay

Famous Russian travelers also made a lot of important discoveries. For example, the same Nikolai Mikhlukho-Maclay, who was born in 1864 in the Novgorod province. He could not graduate from St. Petersburg University, as he was expelled for participating in student demonstrations. To continue his education, Nikolai went to Germany, where he met Haeckel, a naturalist who invited Miklouho-Maclay to his scientific expedition. So the world of wanderings opened up for him. His whole life was devoted to travel and scientific work. Nicholas lived in Sicily, Australia, studied New Guinea, embodying the project of the Russian Geographical Society, visited Indonesia, the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula and Oceania. In 1886, the naturalist returned to Russia and proposed to the emperor to establish a Russian colony across the ocean. But the project with New Guinea did not receive royal support, and Miklouho-Maclay fell seriously ill and soon died, without completing his work on a travel book.

Ferdinand Magellan

Many famous navigators and travelers lived in the era of the Great Magellan is no exception. In 1480 he was born in Portugal, in the city of Sabrosa. Having gone to serve at court (at that time he was only 12 years old), he learned about the confrontation between his native country and Spain, about traveling to the East Indies and trade routes. So he first became interested in the sea. In 1505, Fernand got on a ship. Seven years after that, he plied the sea, participated in expeditions to India and Africa. In 1513, Magellan went to Morocco, where he was wounded in battle. But this did not curb the craving for travel - he planned an expedition for spices. The king rejected his request, and Magellan went to Spain, where he received all the necessary support. Thus began his world tour. Fernand thought that from the west the route to India might be shorter. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean, reached South America and discovered the strait, which would later be named after him. became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. On it, he got to the Philippines and almost reached the goal - Moluccas, but died in battle with local tribes, wounded by a poisonous arrow. However, his journey opened Europe new ocean and understanding that the planet is much larger than scientists previously thought.

Roald Amundsen

The Norwegian was born at the very end of an era in which many famous travelers became famous. Amundsen was the last of the navigators who tried to find undiscovered lands. From childhood, he was distinguished by perseverance and self-confidence, which allowed him to conquer the South Geographic Pole. The beginning of the journey is connected with 1893, when the boy left the university and got a job as a sailor. In 1896 he became a navigator, and the following year he went on his first expedition to Antarctica. The ship was lost in the ice, the crew suffered from scurvy, but Amundsen did not give up. He took command, cured the people, remembering his medical background, and brought the ship back to Europe. After becoming a captain, in 1903 he went in search of the Northwest Passage off Canada. Famous travelers before him had never done anything like this - in two years the team covered the path from the east of the American mainland to its west. Amundsen became known to the whole world. The next expedition was a two-month trip to the South Plus, and the last venture was the search for Nobile, during which he went missing.

David Livingston

Many famous travelers are connected with seafaring. he became a land explorer, namely the African continent. The famous Scot was born in March 1813. At the age of 20, he decided to become a missionary, met Robert Moffett and wished to go to African villages. In 1841 he came to Kuruman, where he taught local residents agriculture, served as a doctor and taught literacy. There he learned the Bechuan language, which helped him in his travels in Africa. Livingston studied in detail the life and customs of the locals, wrote several books about them and went on an expedition in search of the sources of the Nile, in which he fell ill and died of a fever.

Amerigo Vespucci

The most famous travelers in the world were most often from Spain or Portugal. Amerigo Vespucci was born in Italy and became one of the famous Florentines. He received a good education and trained as a financier. From 1490 he worked in Seville, in the Medici trade mission. His life was connected with sea travel, for example, he sponsored the second expedition of Columbus. Christopher inspired him with the idea of trying himself as a traveler, and already in 1499 Vespucci went to Suriname. The purpose of the voyage was to study the coastline. There he opened a settlement called Venezuela - little Venice. In 1500 he returned home with 200 slaves. In 1501 and 1503 Amerigo repeated his travels, acting not only as a navigator, but also as a cartographer. He discovered the bay of Rio de Janeiro, the name of which he gave himself. Since 1505, he served the king of Castile and did not participate in campaigns, only equipped other people's expeditions.

Francis Drake

Many famous travelers and their discoveries have benefited mankind. But among them there are those who left behind a bad memory, since their names were associated with rather cruel events. An English Protestant, who had sailed on a ship from the age of twelve, was no exception. He captured local residents in the Caribbean, selling them into slavery to the Spaniards, attacked ships and fought with Catholics. Perhaps no one could equal Drake in terms of the number of captured foreign ships. His campaigns were sponsored by the Queen of England. In 1577 he went to South America to defeat the Spanish settlements. During the journey, he found Tierra del Fuego and the strait, which was subsequently named after him. Rounding Argentina, Drake plundered the port of Valparaiso and two Spanish ships. When he reached California, he met the natives, who presented the British with gifts of tobacco and bird feathers. Drake crossed the Indian Ocean and returned to Plymouth, becoming the first British citizen to visit world tour. He was admitted to the House of Commons and awarded the title of Sir. In 1595 he died in the last campaign in the Caribbean.

Afanasy Nikitin

Few famous travelers in Russia have achieved the same heights as this native of Tver. Afanasy Nikitin became the first European to visit India. He made a trip to the Portuguese colonizers and wrote "Journey Beyond the Three Seas" - the most valuable literary and historical monument. The success of the expedition was ensured by the merchant's career: Athanasius knew several languages and knew how to negotiate with people. On his journey, he visited Baku, lived in Persia for about two years and reached India by ship. After visiting several cities in an exotic country, he went to Parvat, where he stayed for a year and a half. After the province of Raichur, he headed to Russia, paving the route through the Arabian and Somali Peninsulas. However, Afanasy Nikitin never made it home, because he fell ill and died near Smolensk, but his notes survived and provided the merchant with world fame.

Porto is one of the oldest Portuguese cities. The name of the country comes from it, formed from the merger of two words: the Latin "portus" - "port" and the Greek "kalos" - "beautiful".

This was the name of two settlements that were once located on the banks of the Douro River. Greek on the right, Roman on the left. The left and right banks of Porto are connected by six bridges. One of them was designed by Gustave Eiffel, the author of the Eiffel Tower.

Porto is the birthplace of Henry the Navigator. Thanks to this prince, Portugal in the 15th century entered the era of great geographical discoveries. Portuguese sailors opened up to Christendom lands thousands of miles from Europe, and subjugated territories many times larger than theirs to the Portuguese monarchs. European possessions.

Porto is said by many to be the most picturesque city Portugal. And it is impossible not to agree with this. You can wander through its narrow streets for hours. And everywhere you can feel the connection of Porto with the sea. And it's not just the air saturated with the smell of iodine... Even in the city squares there are not the usual pigeons, but seagulls...

Most of the Portuguese border runs along the sea, so maritime traditions for Portugal are not an empty phrase. In this country, much is connected with the sea, in particular its name. The sea is not only naval battles, long trips, unknown countries and endless beaches. The sea is also fishing and fishermen.

Fishing has played such an important role in the life of the Portuguese for centuries that in one of modern districts They erected a one-of-a-kind monument to Porto - a monument to a fishing net.

In recent years, Portugal catches much less fish than before - the European Union has introduced strict quotas. But this did not lead to any deficit. And in every seaside town or village there is always a market where they sell the freshest fish of today's catch.

What I couldn’t imagine was that the Portuguese fish market, in the very fish region of the Algarve, would be so quiet and calm.

The variety of assortment is amazing. The favorite local fish is dried cod, as the Portuguese say "bacalau". Strange as it sounds, they bring it from Norway. And in general they always brought from Nordic countries. The quota for cod is small, so we have to bring it in from Scandinavia.

In the morning, a kilogram of sardines costs four euros, and in the evening - already two. Poorer people come and buy everything in bulk, so that nothing is wasted.

Large fishing vessels go fishing in almost any weather - both in calm and in a storm. For owners of small boats, today's excitement means downtime. But then they had time to carefully check the gear and put them in order.

Some of the fishermen are really fiddling with gear. But the vast majority of seafarers use their unexpected leisure in a more pleasant way. They fill coastal pubs where they drink beer and cut into cards.

And the storm, by the way, has been going on for the fourth day. And all these days they probably tell their wives in the morning that they went to work. In one tavern, a fisherman advised me to definitely get acquainted with Sebastian. He is the oldest fisherman. I went to sea even under the dictator Salazar. Why Salazar - old man Sebastian, according to the stories of the same sailor, under Henry the Navigator he caught fish.

The history of Portugal is inextricably linked with the era of great discoveries. In the 15th century, having gained a foothold on land, the Portuguese also wanted to have complete dominance at sea. Attempts to explore the seas and oceans began. This era was opened by Prince Enrique, the legendary Henry the Navigator.

The youngest son of the Portuguese king João I did not accidentally get the nickname Navigator. Settling on the Sagres Peninsula, he gathered cartographers, astronomers and shipbuilders around him. And in the local fortress he opened a school of navigation.

In 1416, a long and well-organized sea expedition was launched under the leadership of Henry the Navigator. It should be noted that Henry the Navigator himself, paradoxically as it may sound, never went to sea. He was only the organizer of these campaigns.

For many years, a lighthouse built on Cape Sau Vincente, near Sagres, helped sailors not to break on the rocks. Now it's just a memorial. Its height is 61 meters, and the beam length is 90 km. This is the largest lighthouse in Europe.

Henry the Navigator admonished his captains: "No danger that you meet can be greater than the reward that awaits you." After the death of Henry, the distant expeditions that he initiated did not stop. One of them, in July 1497, went in search of a sea route to India.

The work of Henry the Navigator was continued by a young courtier of noble origin, Vasco da Gama. Only he actually took part in sea voyages. Da Gama became the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope and reach the shores of India. He returned to Portugal with hundreds of bags of Indian spices, which were valued in Europe more than gold.

More than five hundred years ago, on the site of the monastery of Sant Jerónimos, there was a chapel of Henry the Navigator. In it, before his sailing to India, Vasco da Gama prayed. And here, upon his return, he was met by King Manuel I. In honor of the opening of the sea route to India, this monastery was founded. Here, in the monastery of Sant Jerónimos, the remains of Vasco da Gama were eventually transferred.

The greatest poet of Portugal, Luis de Camões, who dedicated the poem "Lusiada" to the journey of the famous navigator, is buried in the same walls.
Da Gama died during his third campaign in India in 1524. He was originally buried in the city of Cochin, in the first Catholic cathedral built by the Portuguese in India. They still show his empty grave there.

Discovering new lands, Portuguese navigators declared them the property of the Portuguese crown. By the end of the 16th century, Lisbon was subject to an entire empire, stretching from Brazil in the west to the Chinese coast in the east.

Scattered throughout this space are formidable forts - like the one towering over Praia, the capital of the current Republic of Cape Verde, and until the seventies of the last century - the Portuguese colony of Cape Verde Island.

The guns of these forts helped keep the local population and repel the encroachments of other European powers, more than once trying to lay hands on the colonies of the Portuguese.

A living memory of the era of great geographical discoveries and the colonial empire serve as islands of Portuguese-speaking Christian culture, interspersed in a strikingly foreign environment.

So in the Chinese Aomyn, the former Portuguese colony of Macau, there are almost more statues of the Madonna "" and Catholic saints than Buddhist statues.

In Malaysian Malacca, there is a quarter where all the signs are in Portuguese, and in the courtyards of the houses there are Catholic altars. The descendants of the Portuguese live here. However, the Portuguese blood flowing in their veins is so diluted with Malaysian that outwardly they do not differ from the indigenous population.

Brazil is a huge fragment of the Portuguese empire, both in area and in population many times greater than the former metropolis. Nevertheless, the symbol of Rio de Janeiro - the statue of Christ towering over the city - is an exact copy of the statue that adorns Lisbon.

Macau, Malacca, Cape Verde, Rio de Janeiro and many other points on the globe, where people of different races speak Portuguese, are separated from Portugal by thousands of kilometers of sea routes. The feat of the people who explored these paths is worthy of admiration. After all, they sailed on ships not much larger than the current fishing launches.

After the Normans, the Portuguese were the first of the peoples of medieval Europe to enter the expanses of " ocean sea”, as the Atlantic was called in antiquity. From the very beginning of the 15th century, they consistently overcame the many difficulties of sailing in the ocean.

Prince Enrique (1394-1460) played an important role in the development of navigation in Portugal. Later, in the 19th century, he was named Henry the Navigator, although he himself never sailed. The prince believed that no matter how huge the African continent is, it ends somewhere. Therefore, in order to go around it, it is necessary to build good ships and supply from accurate maps and navigational instruments. In 1418, Henry the Navigator built an observatory and a shipyard on the southwestern coast of Portugal in Sagris, and also founded a nautical school where geographers, cartographers, mathematicians and astronomers taught Portuguese sailors.

The merits of Henry the Navigator are marked not only by monuments, but also by coins. In 1960, in memory of the 500th anniversary of his death, a series of silver coins with his portrait was issued in Portugal.

In 1987, the Mint of Portugal announced a long-term program (1987-2001) for the issuance of commemorative coins "Golden Era Portuguese discoveries» in honor of the achievements and discoveries of the Portuguese navigators of the XV-XVI centuries. These 100 escudo coins were issued in an annual series of cupro-nickel and precious metals.

The first series, released in 1987-1988. consists of 4 coins dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope. These coins marked the voyages of Portuguese sailors along the western coast of Africa, which eventually led to the discovery of a sea route to the Indian Ocean.

On the obverse side of each of the coins is depicted the coat of arms of Portugal from different periods. On the reverse side of the three coins, a ship of the voyage is depicted.

Eanesh lived. Cape Bogador

The first coin of the series is dedicated to one of the turning points in the history of navigation — sea voyage Eanesha lived beyond Cape Bogador on the west coast of Africa. It is depicted on the reverse of the coin to the right of the ship. Medieval Europe believed that Cape Bogador was the edge of the world.

Captain Gil Eanesh was an able student and squire of Prince Henry. In 1433, he tried to go around Cape Bogador, but his team rebelled, and he was forced to turn the ship towards home, reaching only canary islands. A year later, Eanesh tried again and successfully rounded the cape, thus starting the era of great geographical discoveries.

Nunu Tristan

The second coin of the series is dedicated to the navigator and slave trader Nun Trishtan, who was also at the court of Henry. Trishtan discovered the mouth of the Gambia River after Eanesh passed south along Africa. The reverse side of the coin depicts Trishtan's ship and a group of islands to the right of it, which were also discovered by him.

Diogo Kahn

The next of the famous Portuguese captains was Diogo Can. The third coin of the series is dedicated to him. In 1482-86. he made 3 voyages south of the equator, during which he discovered and mapped 1450 miles of the western coast of Africa, reaching the Cape of the Holy Cross. Diogo Kahn was well versed in navigating the stars, which is why the coin dedicated to him depicts a compass and an astrolabe.

On the reverse side, to the right of the ship, there is a relief map of the southwestern part of Europe and the western coast of Africa. On the African coast, you can see three stone pillars - Diogo installed such pillars with a cross and the royal coat of arms as a sign of the annexation of new lands "for the glory of God and the king" to Portugal. On the circumference of the coin, divisions are applied like a compass, and the coordinates corresponding to the mouth of the Congo River, Cape St. Mary and Cape Holy Cross are marked with numbers.

Bartolomeu Dias de Novais

Diogo Cana's voyages were continued by the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias de Novais. In 1487 he was appointed head of an expedition to discover new lands south of Cape Holy Cross. After a voyage of 16 months and a length of 16,000, Bartolomeu's ships returned to Lisbon with great news - they were in the Indian Ocean and dug new cape, which was called the Cape of Storms, and the king later renamed it the Cape of Good Hope, because with this discovery, Portugal's chances of reaching the shores of India increased. Later based on the report of Bartolomeu Another great navigator Vasco da Gama developed a sailing route to India in 1497-99.

The coin dedicated to Bartolomeu depicts the outlines of the African continent and the Cape of Good Hope is marked with a cross. Two identical sailboats on both sides of the continent symbolize successful journey south of Africa and further along the coast.

Simultaneously with voyages along the coast of Africa, Portuguese navigators began to study the waters of the Atlantic. More on this in the second part of the article.