For decades Portugal had been searching for an alternate route to the East, in order to bypass the Mediterranean Sea which was under the control of the Italian Maritime Republics and the Ottoman Empire.
Selama beberapa dekade, Portugal telah berupaya mencari suatu rute alternatif menuju Timur, dengan maksud menghindari Laut Mediterania yang berada di bawah kendali Republik Maritim Italia dan Kekaisaran Ottoman.