Cristóvão da Gama

Timeline

1. 1532–1541Diu and Massawa · Portuguese IndiaHe went to India with his brother Estêvão in 1532, briefly returned home in 1535, and arrived at Diu in April 1538 with Governor Garcia de Noronha. In 1541, commanding a ship in his brother's fleet (then Viceroy of India), he attacked Suez, was repulsed by the Ottoman navy, withdrew to Massawa in May, and was immediately ordered to redirect his mission to aiding Ethiopia.
2. 1541–1542Tigray highlands · Ethiopian HighlandsLanding at Massawa and Arkiko with about four hundred musketeers and artisans, he was stranded at Debarwa during the rainy season and joined forces with Queen Mother Seble Wedel. On February 2, 1542, against the Queen Mother's advice, he stormed the fortress of Bassa; on April 4 and 16 he twice defeated Grāñ's main force at Hat, wounding Grāñ himself and forcing him to retreat south. Lacking cavalry, he could not turn the second victory into annihilation.
3. 1542Wofla · Ethiopian HighlandsAfter receiving some two thousand musketeer reinforcements from Zabid and elsewhere, Grāñ counterattacked. On August 28 the Portuguese suffered a crushing defeat at Wofla; Cristóvão was shot in the arm and captured that night along with more than ten companions by a patrol. In Grāñ's camp he was tortured to force conversion; after refusing, he was beheaded the next day. About one hundred and twenty survivors joined the Queen Mother, and ten days later met Cristóvão da Gama's successor, becoming the firearm core of the decisive Battle of Wayna Daga.