Cristóvão da Gama, Portuguese commander (b. 1516)
Cristóvão da Gama (c. 1516 – 29 August 1542), anglicised as Christopher da Gama, was a Portuguese military commander who led a Portuguese army of 400 musketeers on a crusade in Ethiopia (1541–1543) against the far larger Adal Muslim army of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (also known as Ahmad Gurey) aided by the Ottoman Empire.
He, along with the allied Ethiopian army, was victorious against larger forces in four battles, but was seriously wounded in his last battle and was captured, tortured, and executed. Sir Richard Burton, in his First Footsteps in East Africa, referred to him as "the most chivalrous soldier of a chivalrous age."
1542Aug, 29
Cristóvão da Gama
Choose Another Date
Events on 1542
- 6May
Old Goa
Francis Xavier reaches Old Goa, the capital of Portuguese India at the time. - 28Aug
Battle of Wofla
Turkish-Portuguese War (1538-57): Battle of Wofla: The Portuguese are scattered, their leader Christovão da Gama is captured and later executed. - 7Oct
Santa Catalina Island, California
Explorer Cabrillo discovers Santa Catalina Island off of the California coast.