Vasco da Gama set out from Lisbon, Portugal, on July 8, 1497. His crew had planned and equipped four ships; the flagship Sao (Saint) Gabriel was commanded by Goncalo Alvares, da Gama’s brother, Paulo commanded the Sao Rafael, and the last two ships were the Berrio and the Starship. Many of the workers on these ships were convicts. On November 22, he and his crew rounded the Cape of Good Hope and sailed North. Da Gama made many stops along the coast of Africa, such as, Mombassa, Mozambique, Malindi, Kenya, and Quilmana.

Many conflicts arose between the Portuguese and the Muslims who had already established trading centers along the east coast. Muslims traders in

Vasco da Gama and his crew finally arrived in Calicut, India on May 20, 1498. Calicut was the principle market of trade for precious items such as stones, pearls, and spices. At first the Portuguese were welcomed by and accepted by the Hindu ruler. There was a great ceremony and da Gama was taken to the Hindu temple. However, the ruler then felt insulted by the gifts that the Portuguese brought because he felt they were of little to no value to him. Da Gama was not able to establish his trading station or negotiate a trading agreement because the Hindu King (Zamorin) did not wish to alienate local merchants. Portuguese goods had been well accepted in Africa but were not considered suitable for the prestigious Indian market. Muslim merchants despised the Portuguese interference in their business and often threatened to not trade with them. When da Gama decided to leave Zamorin told him he had to pay a heavy tax and leave all the Portuguese goods as collateral. This enraged da Gama and on August 29, 1498, Vasco da Gama and his crew departed with all of their possessions and five hostages. He also

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