Bartolomeu Dias’s epic voyage in 1487-1488 holds a pivotal place in the Age of Exploration, permanently altering European understanding of Africa and paving the way for future voyages to India and beyond. Mapping his journey reveals a complex and daring undertaking, fueled by Portuguese ambition and the pursuit of a sea route to the lucrative spice trade.
The voyage commenced in Lisbon, Portugal. Dias initially sailed southward along the established route down the western coast of Africa. Prior to Dias, explorers had crept incrementally southward, inching closer to the Equator. Dias’s expedition built upon this accumulated knowledge, utilizing existing charts and navigational techniques, but he also aimed to push significantly further. The map of his initial progress would show a steady southward trajectory, carefully hugging the coastline. Key locations included known trading posts and landmarks established by previous explorers. These served as crucial resupply points and markers of progress.
As the fleet approached the southern African coast, worsening weather conditions became a significant obstacle. Violent storms forced Dias further south and out of sight of land. This proved to be a turning point. For weeks, the ships battled the elements, sailing southward and eastward, unknowingly rounding the Cape of Good Hope. The map of this period would illustrate a sweeping arc away from the African coast, a testament to the power of the storms that drove the ships off course. He eventually turned north and eastward, finding the African coastline again. He landed in what is now known as Mossel Bay.
From Mossel Bay, Dias continued eastward along the southern coast of Africa. The map illustrates this phase of the journey as a relatively straight line, hugging the coastline once more. He explored Algoa Bay and reached the mouth of the Great Fish River. His crew, weary and apprehensive, implored him to turn back. Resources were dwindling, and the sheer duration of the voyage had taken its toll. Reluctantly, Dias agreed, but not before erecting a padrão, a stone pillar, to claim the land for Portugal. The map would pinpoint the locations of these padrões, marking the easternmost extent of his exploration.
The return journey followed a similar, albeit faster, route along the African coast. Dias meticulously charted the coastline he had previously encountered, filling in gaps in existing maps and correcting inaccuracies. He sighted the Cape of Good Hope on his westward journey, naming it Cabo das Tormentas (Cape of Storms), a name later changed to Cabo da Boa Esperança (Cape of Good Hope) by King John II, recognizing the potential that this passage offered. The return voyage completed the map, effectively outlining the southern tip of Africa and confirming the possibility of a sea route to the East. While Dias’s voyage did not reach India, the map he created proved invaluable for Vasco da Gama’s successful expedition a decade later, solidifying Portugal’s dominance in the spice trade and ushering in a new era of global exploration.
