or Bartholomew Diaz
born с 1450
died May 29, 1500, at sea, near Cape of Good Hope
Portuguese navigator and explorer.
Given command of an expedition to ascertain the southern limit of Africa, he set sail in 1487. He sailed farther south than previous explorers and became the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope (1488). His voyage opened the sea route to Asia via the Atlantic and Indian oceans. He later commanded a ship in an expedition under Pedro Álvares Cabral , in which he participated in the discovery of Brazil; he was lost at sea when they reached the Cape.