Bartolomeu Dias had reached the Cape of Storms (Cabo das Tormentas) in March of 1488 signalling an important turning point for Portugal's maritime expansion. There he encountered a pastoral people the Khoi (Hottentot) which he described as "beach walkers" who lived by keeping sheep and catching fish (including whales). The promise of this discovery led to the Cape being renamed Cabo da Boa Esperança or Cape of Good Hope.
When Vasco da Gama left Lisbon in 1497 he sailed to the island of Santiago in Cape Verde and from there land was in sight for the next 90 days. Upon arriving at the Cape, he rested for 8 days taking on wood, water and other essential supplies. On Christmas Day of 1497 he aptly named a bay (Durban) Natal (Portuguese for Christmas). Though da Gama reached India, his return voyage was an arduous one, with scurvy appearing and over 30 of his men dying on the voyage between Goa and Malindi in East Africa. In March of 1499 he reached Angra de São Braz (Moselbaai) where his men killed sea lions and seals and took water to provision their ships.
Upon his return to Lisbon in 1499 Vasco da Gama argued that a permanent station or feitoria would be needed at the Cape of Good Hope. A place where the Portuguese could raise livestock, grow vegetables to resupply ships on the way to the Indies. Subsequent voyages in 1501 and 1503 did lead to the first small skirmishes with the Khoi. In 1503, António da Saldanha landed at a bay that would become "Aguada da Saldanha" (Table Bay). Also he scaled Taboa do Cabo, or Table Mountain. Of this bay he wrote that it had the "most excellent water" as well as ample supplies of cattle and sheep.
In 1502 Valentim Fernandes' introduction in his edition of Marco Polo's "Travels" wrote that Dias "had been chosen like Joshua to enter into the New World, which we can indeed call the Promised Land". Establishing a colony in this promised land became a priority in 1505 when the largest Portuguese Armada of ships yet sailed for the Indies.
Under the command of Cide Barbudo and Pedro Quaresma, several ships arrived at the Cape of Good Hope with the intent of establishing a fort. With them was a garrison of 500 men who set about building the fort. Many of these men were "degredados" or petty criminals sent into exile as colonists, following the pattern of previous settlement in Cape Verde and São Tomé. Others were young boys rounded up from the streets of Lisbon called "vadios" (vagrants) and pressed into service as sailors. Many were as young as 15. The rest were mainly young men from poor seaports for whom being a sailor offered an escape from poverty. With the men came several hundred pigs, oxen and sheep.
However, conflict with the Khoi soon ensued as many of the men began to rob the Khoi of their cattle and sheep, often using fire arms to scare them off. This would soon lead a protracted war between the Portuguese men and the Khoi. The Portuguese fort became essential in protecting the Portuguese during times of skirmishes. Also at this time the first wheat crop was planted and harvested in January of 1506. This would turn this small "feitoria" as an important source of grain and flour for the Indies. Shortly after, salted pork and fish would also become an important supply for the Portuguese ships on their long voyage east.
Meanwhile, in 1505 the Portuguese established forts in Sofala, the Island of Mozambique, Quiloa (Kilwa) and Malindi. Sofala was well adapted as a trading station, but was no use as a port of refreshment for Portuguese ships to India. However, at Sofala the Portuguese traded small quantities of gold and were convinced that somewhere inland were great amounts of gold and silver inland.
When Vasco da Gama left Lisbon in 1497 he sailed to the island of Santiago in Cape Verde and from there land was in sight for the next 90 days. Upon arriving at the Cape, he rested for 8 days taking on wood, water and other essential supplies. On Christmas Day of 1497 he aptly named a bay (Durban) Natal (Portuguese for Christmas). Though da Gama reached India, his return voyage was an arduous one, with scurvy appearing and over 30 of his men dying on the voyage between Goa and Malindi in East Africa. In March of 1499 he reached Angra de São Braz (Moselbaai) where his men killed sea lions and seals and took water to provision their ships.
Upon his return to Lisbon in 1499 Vasco da Gama argued that a permanent station or feitoria would be needed at the Cape of Good Hope. A place where the Portuguese could raise livestock, grow vegetables to resupply ships on the way to the Indies. Subsequent voyages in 1501 and 1503 did lead to the first small skirmishes with the Khoi. In 1503, António da Saldanha landed at a bay that would become "Aguada da Saldanha" (Table Bay). Also he scaled Taboa do Cabo, or Table Mountain. Of this bay he wrote that it had the "most excellent water" as well as ample supplies of cattle and sheep.
In 1502 Valentim Fernandes' introduction in his edition of Marco Polo's "Travels" wrote that Dias "had been chosen like Joshua to enter into the New World, which we can indeed call the Promised Land". Establishing a colony in this promised land became a priority in 1505 when the largest Portuguese Armada of ships yet sailed for the Indies.
Under the command of Cide Barbudo and Pedro Quaresma, several ships arrived at the Cape of Good Hope with the intent of establishing a fort. With them was a garrison of 500 men who set about building the fort. Many of these men were "degredados" or petty criminals sent into exile as colonists, following the pattern of previous settlement in Cape Verde and São Tomé. Others were young boys rounded up from the streets of Lisbon called "vadios" (vagrants) and pressed into service as sailors. Many were as young as 15. The rest were mainly young men from poor seaports for whom being a sailor offered an escape from poverty. With the men came several hundred pigs, oxen and sheep.
However, conflict with the Khoi soon ensued as many of the men began to rob the Khoi of their cattle and sheep, often using fire arms to scare them off. This would soon lead a protracted war between the Portuguese men and the Khoi. The Portuguese fort became essential in protecting the Portuguese during times of skirmishes. Also at this time the first wheat crop was planted and harvested in January of 1506. This would turn this small "feitoria" as an important source of grain and flour for the Indies. Shortly after, salted pork and fish would also become an important supply for the Portuguese ships on their long voyage east.
Meanwhile, in 1505 the Portuguese established forts in Sofala, the Island of Mozambique, Quiloa (Kilwa) and Malindi. Sofala was well adapted as a trading station, but was no use as a port of refreshment for Portuguese ships to India. However, at Sofala the Portuguese traded small quantities of gold and were convinced that somewhere inland were great amounts of gold and silver inland.