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Why does Vasco da Gama tell the king of Melinde about Portuguese history?
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LuĂs de CamĂ”es
LuĂs de CamĂ”es depicted on an Angolan banknote.
In the epic poem The Lusiads by LuĂs de CamĂ”es, the explorer Vasco da Gama recounts the history of Portugal to the king of Melinde simply because the king requested him to do so.12
During the expedition's stop in Melinde on the east coast of Africa, this narrative serves as a central structural element of the poem. Spanning Cantos III, IV, and V, da Gamaâs account details the nation's history from its origins through the inception of their great voyage. This storytelling device allows CamĂ”es to weave historical eventsâsuch as the battle of Aljubarrota and the tragic story of InĂȘs de Castroâinto the epic, framing the Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India as the culmination of a glorious national heritage.12