Bartolomeu Dias Bartolomeu Dias (1457-1500)(1457-1500)

Portuguese Portuguese navigator and navigator and explorer who explorer who

explered Africa’s explered Africa’s coastcoast

During the second half During the second half of the xv century the of the xv century the

Portugueses Portugueses launched launched the quest of a way to the quest of a way to

join the Atlantic Ocean join the Atlantic Ocean with the Indian Ocean. with the Indian Ocean. It would allow them to It would allow them to

get to the get to the Indies Indies

King Juan II from King Juan II from Portugal Portugal assigned assigned

Bartolomeu Bartolomeu DiasDias to an to an

expedition in expedition in order to explore order to explore

the coast of the coast of AfricaAfrica. He . He

followed Diogo’s followed Diogo’s previous one in previous one in 1482;who got 1482;who got

very close to the very close to the Walvis’s bay.Walvis’s bay.

Bartolomeu DiasBartolomeu Dias sailed from sailed from Lisbon in Lisbon in August 1487August 1487 and and in in Febrary 1488Febrary 1488, he , he bordered the meridian bordered the meridian extreme of the African extreme of the African continent to the river’s continent to the river’s estuary, which later became estuary, which later became Cape of Good HopeCape of Good Hope, , previously named Cape of previously named Cape of Storms. Storms.

BartolomeuBartolomeu explored 2.030 kilometers of the explored 2.030 kilometers of the African coasts unsewn until then. He returned African coasts unsewn until then. He returned to Lisbon in to Lisbon in December 1488December 1488. .

This implied the opening of This implied the opening of a sea route among a sea route among EuropeEurope and the and the Far EastFar East that trade people that trade people considered essential for considered essential for the prosperity of Europe.the prosperity of Europe.

On later expeditions (in 1500, with On later expeditions (in 1500, with Pedro Álvares Cabral), Dias sailed Pedro Álvares Cabral), Dias sailed near South America on his way to near South America on his way to

Africa, and saw Brazil territory.Africa, and saw Brazil territory.

Bartolomeu DiasBartolomeu Dias died during died during this expedition near the Cape this expedition near the Cape of Good Hope, in 1500, after a of Good Hope, in 1500, after a

storm.storm.