Why is it said that Bartolomeu Dias played a significant role in the future voyages of Portugal?

 

               Following his expedition, Bartolomeu Dias had a stint at Guinea in West Africa, where Portugal had established a gold-trading site. He later served as a shipbuilding consultant. He used his years of wisdom as a seafarer, and constructed the ships Sao Gabriel and Sao Rafael. Later, Vasco da Gama used these vessels to sail past the Cape of Good Hope and to reach India.

               Dias accompanied Da Gama’s fleet as far as the Cape Verde Islands, and then returned to Guinea. Da Gama’s ships reached India in May 1498, nearly a decade after Dias’ historic trip around the tip of Africa.

               Later, the Portuguese king sent out a massive fleet to India. Pedro Alvares Cabral was ordered to lead the fleet. Dias captained four of the ships. They reached Brazil in March 1500, then headed across the Atlantic, towards South Africa and, further ahead, to the Indian subcontinent. Dias perished near the Cape of Good Hope that he had, presciently named the Cape of Storms. Four ships encountered a huge storm off the cape, and were lost, including Dias’, on 29th May 1500.