In 1488, Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias (c. 1450-1500) became the first European mariner to round the southern tip of Africa, opening the way for a sea route from Europe to Asia.

What did Bartolomeu Dias discover or explore?

Bartolomeu Dias, also called Bartholomew Diaz, was a Portuguese navigator whose discovery in 1488 of the Cape of Good Hope showed Europeans there was a feasible route to India around the storm-driven southern tip of Africa.

Why did Bartolomeu Dias explore?

Bartolomeu Dias was the first European explorer to sail around the southern tip of Africa discovering what is called the Cape of Good Hope. ... On October 10th, 1487 King John II of Portugal assigned Bartolomeu Dias to sail to the southern tip of Africa in hopes of finding a trade route that would lead them to India.