June 06

João de Castro was born into Portuguese nobility in 1500 and pursued a military career that took him to the Indian Ocean. Appointed as the fourth Governor of Portuguese India, he reformed fortifications and improved colonial administration. An accomplished cartographer and scholar, he documented ocean currents and navigational techniques in his famed travel journals. His explorations contributed significantly to European understanding of the East African coast and Indian maritime routes. Castro’s blend of military leadership, scholarly inquiry, and statesmanship made him a pivotal figure in the Age of Discovery before his death in Goa in 1548.