Vasco da Gama (c. 1460–1524) – Portugal

Vasco da Gama (c. 1460–1524) pioneered Europe's sea route to India, transforming global trade forever. The Portuguese explorer became the first European to reach India by sea in 1498, rounding Africa's Cape of Good Hope after ten treacherous months at sea. His voyage established Lisbon as a major trading hub and broke the Arab-Italian monopoly on Eastern spices. Though brutal in his methods, da Gama's navigation skills opened direct access to the Indian Ocean trade network, launching Portugal's colonial empire in Asia. His expeditions marked the beginning of European dominance in maritime trade routes and reshaped world economics for centuries.