Why was vasco da gama's discovery of an all water route to india so important to portugal?

Answer 1

Commerce was the main reason that all the major European nations were seeking a water route to Asia. The spices and other trade items found in places like Japan(Cipango), China (Cathay), the Spice Islands (Indonesia), and India, could be purchased and resold back in Europe but the overland routes were so dangerous, too long, and expensive, that the profits made were not worth the risky investments. If Portugal could find a water route to Asia they could challange the Italian monopoy on Asian trade, they had an established government willing to train sailors and invest in the attempt to discover water routes, and a commercial class willing to invest in such ventures. Plus, the profits reaped would make Portugal the leading maritime power in Europe.

Answer 2

The sea and land routes through the Mediterranean and Middle East were all controlled by the countries of the region. If Portugal could reach the East directly, they could profit from a relatively fast and inexpensive transportation of spices and other goods to sell in Europe.

Answer 3

Trading. He found an important route through the Indian ocean that made trade easier and the Portugese richer and more important to those who traded with them. He also made peace between Africa and Portugul. But why all water? Those who were the 'go-betweens' raised prices vastly. Getting directly to the country was much, MUCH cheaper.

Answer 4

There always had been a lively spice trade between the Orient and Europe. Its route had been overland across Asia and the Middle East and was called the Silk Route. Prices had already gone up steeply over time when demand rose much more quickly than the supply by camel transport could keep up with.

With the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, the Turks got control of the most important passage to Europe for the spice trade. Supply grew even more difficult and prices as a result shot up even further.

The Portuguese figured out that if they could find a sea route to circumvent the Muslim blockade of the traditional land route, they could become the main provider of spices and other Oriental goods to Europe. They also quickly figured out that one single shipload of goods would be equal to or even more than all that a large camel caravan could carry over land. At the prices that these goods fetched you stood to make a lot of money, even when part of your ships did not make it back.

Answer 5

The overland route of the Silk Road was expensive, dangerous, and took a long time from Asia to Europe. If they could find a water route to Asia it would take less time, ships could carry more goods, and the cost would go down.