He Returned To Lisbon In 1499, And Again
Received The Command Of A Squadron In 1502; He Died At Cochin In 1525,
After Having Lived To Witness His Country Sovereign Of The Indian Seas From
Malacca To The Cape Of Good Hope.
"The consequence of his discovery was the
subversion of the Turkish power, which at that time kept all Europe in
alarm.
The East no longer paid tribute for her precious commodities, which
passed through the Turkish provinces; the revenues of that empire were
diminished; the Othmans ceased to be a terror to the western world, and
Europe has risen to a power, which the three other continents may in vain
endeavour to oppose."
The successful enterprize of Gama, and the return of his ships laden not
only with the commodities peculiar to the coast of Malabar, but with many
of the richer and rarer productions of the eastern parts of India,
stimulated the Portuguese to enter on this new career with avidity and
ardour, both military and commercial. It fortunately happened that Emanuel,
who was king of Portugal at this period, was a man of great intelligence
and grasp of mind, capable of forming plans with prudence and judgment, and
of executing them with method and perseverance; and it was equally
fortunate that such a monarch was enabled to select men to command in
India, who from their enterprize, military skill, sagacity, integrity, and
patriotism, were peculiarly qualified to carry into full and successful
execution all his views and plans.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 534 of 1007
Words from 145910 to 146161
of 273188
