Who was the first European to reach India by sea?

Vasco da Gama is recognized as the first European to reach India by sea. His successful voyage marked a monumental moment in the Age of Exploration, specifically in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. In 1498, da Gama sailed around the southern tip of Africa, known as the Cape of Good Hope, and continued up the eastern coast of Africa before crossing the Indian Ocean to arrive in Calicut, India.

This achievement was significant for several reasons. It not only opened up a sea route for trade between Europe and Asia, facilitating the exchange of goods such as spices, silks, and precious metals, but also established Portugal as a dominant maritime power. Da Gama's journey laid the groundwork for further Portuguese exploration and colonization in the Indian Ocean region, enhancing Europe's global trade networks and ultimately reshaping the economic landscape of the time.

The other individuals mentioned played prominent roles in exploration, but none achieved the historic first sea route to India as Vasco da Gama did. Francisco Coronado focused on exploring North America, Ferdinand Magellan initiated the first circumnavigation of the globe, and Francis Drake was known for his piracy and circumnavigation of the earth as well, but none embarked on the direct sea route