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Oct 10, 1415
Portuguese Seize Ceuta
By the 1400s, Portugal is strong enough to expand into Muslim North Africa, and they seize the coastal city of Ceuta in 1415. Their victory inspires Prince Henry, later known as Henry the Navigator, to organize voyages along the western coast of Africa -
Feb 7, 1417
Zheng He Expands Asian Trade
Zheng He continued to Africa on his 5th voyage. He resisted the Persian Gulf, & explored more of Africa's east coast. He tried to set up Chinese Missions to Egypt, but he suspended it & went back to China. With all the voyages he did, he expanded trade in Asia, & bartered gold from the "Gold Coast" in modern day Ghana. -
Feb 1, 1418
Prince Henry Sets Up a Navagation School
In this school students were trained in Navigation and Map-Making. Students were also trained in science. Lastly they needed to learn all this in order to sail down the West of Africa. -
Feb 1, 1488
Bartolomeu Dias Rounds the Southern Tip of Africa
A quote by him is "To serve God and his Majesty, to give light to those that are in darkness and to grow rich as all men desire to do. The first Portuguese sailor to try to reach Asia, but encountered a heavy storm and turned back. -
Jul 8, 1497
Vasco da Gama Reaches India
Vasco da Gama set sail for India with four ships on July 8,1497. He sailed around the Cape of Good Hope that was previously discovered by Barthalomeau Dias to India. He arrived in the great spice port of Calicut. This was the least important of the ten events because it proved highly profitable but had no true impact other than helping the Portugese become even more powerful. -
Aug 24, 1511
Portugal Seizes Malacca
After da Gama's success in setting up a trading post, the Portuguese begin to capture key ports around the Indian Ocean. In 1511 they seize Malacca, which allows them to ally with Asian leaders and establish a major foothold in Asian trade routes. Portugal continues to set up a vast trading empire, but their brutality in Malacca makes them hated and feared. -
Aug 13, 1521
Hernan Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
In 1519, Hernan Cortes began an inland trek with 600 men, 16 horses, and a few cannons toward the Aztec capital,Tenochtitlan. Finally in 1521, Cortes and his Indian allies captured and demolished Tenochtitlan.This event was the eigth most important because without the conquering of the Aztecs, the Spanish's empire wouldn't have expanded.Thus eliminating many historical events that took place and possibly another country would have conquered the Aztecs instead. -
Jun 12, 1542
Fernão Mendes Pinto Explores to Japan
In 1542, Fernão Mendes Pinto became the first "Westerner" to explore Japan. He was imprisoned for shipwrecking in China, & after escaping he jumped onto a Chinese ship with two companions. They sailed to an unknown direction, & shipwrecked on an island. That island was later discovered to be Japan. After knowing it was Japan, he returned & came back with a Catholic missionary. -
Dutch Merchants Found the Dutch East India Company
In the late 1500s, the Dutch set up colonies and trading posts around the world. A group of wealthy merchants found the Dutch East India Company, which furthers their quest to be the major European commercial power in the east. The company also comes into conflict with the English East India Company. -
Alfonso de Albuquerque Fights for Domination
Alfonso de Albuquerque was a Portuguese sea captain that fought over Asian trade to crush the Muslim-Italian domination. He first went to North Africa to serve 10 years in the Crusades. He was appointed & sailed to the east coast of Africa to build a fortress to block the Muslims from trading with the Asians. He went on many other voyages to try to stop the Muslims from dominating trade routes.
