Bartholomeu Dias [LATEST]

The year is 1487. Lisbon , Portugal, is bustling with the spirit of the Age of Discovery , yet the ultimate goal—a sea route to India—remains elusive, hidden behind the "torrid zone" and the terrifying, unknown southern tip of Africa. King John II commissions a man experienced in Atlantic voyages, a sturdy nobleman of the royal household, , to breach this barrier.

On February 3, 1488, land finally appears. He lands in what is now Mossel Bay, South Africa. The crew is exhausted, battered, and low on supplies. They have accomplished the impossible, but the crew, fearful of the vast Indian Ocean ahead, insists on turning back. bartholomeu dias

While returning north along the coast, Dias finally spots the great cape he had missed in the storm. Facing the fierce, rocky peninsula, he names it the Cabo das Tormentas —the Cape of Storms . The year is 1487

When the wind finally subsides, Dias commands his ships east, expecting to hit the African coastline. He sails for days, but finds nothing but open ocean. Confused but determined, he turns north, realizing with a shock that he has rounded the continent’s edge entirely. On February 3, 1488, land finally appears