Background
He was bom in Posen, Poland, but fled with his parents in 1450, when the family was given the choice of baptism or expulsion. They made their way to Jerusalem and then to Alexandria.
He was bom in Posen, Poland, but fled with his parents in 1450, when the family was given the choice of baptism or expulsion. They made their way to Jerusalem and then to Alexandria.
When the boy grew up, he traveled extensively in pursuit of commercial contacts, dealing especially in jewels. In India he became a Muslim and entered the service of the ruler of Bijapur, who put him in charge of commercial affairs in the Goa region. When the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, reached the coast of India, a boat came alongside carrying this man, dressed in linen, a turban on his head and a sword at his waist. He introduced himself as a former Christian, now a Muslim, who had been sent by the local ruler to welcome the Portuguese and offer them ships and supplies. Da Gama grew suspicious of his unease and the contradictions in his remarks. Indian sailors who were asked about the man said he was in the service of pirates who were preparing to attack the Portuguese. Under torture, the man admitted he was indeed a spy.
A few days later, da Gama sailed away, taking the man with him. On the journey to Portugal, he forced him to become baptized and gave him his own surname. And so the Polish Jew arrived in Portugal as Gaspar da Gama (also known as Gaspar of India and sometimes as Gaspar the Jew).
Vasco da Gama was received by King Manuel of Portugal, who asked to meet Gaspar and wrote in a letter: “Our men brought back five or six Indians from Calicut, including a Jew who has converted to Christianity and who is a merchant and dealer in precious stones.” Manuel was fascinated by Gaspar, granting him many favors and gifts, including clothes from his own wardrobe, horses from the royal stables, and servants from among the Christian converts brought from India. Gaspar was made a knight of the king’s household and allowed to import merchandise from India duty-free. The king was impressed by Gaspar’s wide linguistic skills and his knowledge of Asian lands, which he saw as helpful in furthering his plans to incorporate India into the Portuguese empire.
Over the next decade Gaspar da Gama accompanied three Portuguese expeditions to India. The first of these established a major trading post in Cochin and was greatly helped by da Gama’s connections (his wife was a Jewish Cochini). The third expedition set sail in 1505 and on this occasion he remained for almost five years in India. Gaspar’s letters to King Manuel describe his tasks in India. As translator, he dealt with the local population and arranged for food and other supplies. He acted as general political and commercial adviser and negotiated with the local Muslim traders, succeeding, for example, in getting them to lower the exorbitant price they were asking for pepper. He helped the Portuguese in their purchases of precious stones, while his geographical knowledge proved invaluable in the Portuguese wars with the Indians. He returned to Portugal in 1509, but after 1510 no more is heard of him. His Cochini wife remained in India and refused all entreaties that she too be baptized. She was a pious, learned, and deeply conscious Jew who was prominent in community affairs.