Vasco da Gama, Tomar, and the Order of Christ
Although Vasco da Gama was born in Sines, his career belongs to the world shaped by Tomar. In the late 15th century, Tomar was not just a town — it was the strategic heart of Portuguese expansion, headquarters of the Order of Christ, the successor to the Knights Templar and one of the most powerful institutions in the kingdom.
The Order of Christ financed ships, trained navigators, and provided the ideological framework for Portugal’s maritime ambitions. Its red cross, painted on sails, became a symbol of exploration and conquest across the oceans.
Vasco da Gama began his career as a knight of the Order of Santiago, but it is believed by some that in 1507 he transferred to the Order of Christ, aligning himself with the institution his brother belonged to and one that dominated overseas expansion and royal policy. By then, the Order was deeply embedded in the administration of discoveries, from Africa to India.
In 1497, da Gama set sail from Lisbon with four ships on a mission that would change world history. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope and crossing the Indian Ocean, he reached Kozhikode (Calicut) in 1498, opening the first direct sea route between Europe and India. This achievement transformed global trade and confirmed Portugal’s role as a leading maritime power.
The wealth generated by the spice trade flowed back into Portugal and into institutions like the Order of Christ, helping to finance monumental architecture — including works at the Convent of Christ in Tomar, whose Manueline window still bears the symbolism of the Age of Discoveries.
Later appointed Viceroy of India, Vasco da Gama embodied the shift from exploration to empire. His voyages brought riches and influence to Portugal, but also violence and domination along the Indian Ocean trade routes; a legacy that remains complex and contested.
In Tomar, where stone, symbolism, and power converge, Vasco da Gama’s story fits into a broader narrative: the transformation of a former Templar stronghold into the command centre of a global empire. Though he never ruled from Tomar, the ideas, institutions, and ambitions that enabled his voyage were forged here.
Sources
Gaspar Correia, Lendas da Índia (c. 1550s).
João de Barros, Décadas da Ásia (1552 onwards).
Sanjay Subrahmanyam, The Career and Legend of Vasco da Gama (1997).
Pereira, José Manuel. Tomar: Cidade dos Templários e da Ordem de Cristo, Lisboa, 2003.
Convent of Christ, Tomar – UNESCO World Heritage Centre, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/265