<P> King Manuel did not share that opinion . Keeping the D. João II plan, he went ahead to equip the ships and chose Vasco da Gama as the leader of this expedition and the captain of the armada . According to the original plan, John II had appointed his father, Stephen da Gama, to head the armada; but by the time of implementing the plan, both were deceased . </P> <P> Portuguese were after spices, but they were very expensive because it was an inconvenience to trade . For example, it was dangerous and time consuming to travel by land from Europe to India . As a result, King D. João II of Portugal established a plan for ships to explore the coast of Africa to see if India was navigable via around the cape, and through the Indian Ocean . King João II appointed Bartolomeu Dias, on October 10, 1486, to head an expedition to sail around the southern tip of Africa in the hope of finding a trade route to India . Dias helped in the construction of the São Gabriel and its sister ship, the São Rafael that were used by Vasco da Gama to sail past the Cape of Good Hope and continue to India . </P> <P> One of the sailors, Bartolomeu Dias passed the southernmost point of Africa known as the Cape of Good Hope in 1488 . He declared it possible to travel to India by going around Africa . The Portuguese were then able to make an immense profit by using their own ships to retrieve the spices . </P> <P> This global expedition was launched on 8 July 1497 . It concluded two years later with the entry of the ships back into the river Tagus, bringing with them the good news that bestowed on Portugal a prestigious maritime position . </P>

Who sailed to india and returned with spices