During the reign of Manuel I (1495-1521); Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovered a maritime route to India around Africa (1498); Portuguese Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil (1500); Portuguese Francisco de Almeida was appointed first viceroy of India (1505); and between 1503 and 1515; Alfonso de Albuquerque secured a monopoly on Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean maritime trade routes for Portugal. It was no surprise King Manuel was nicknamed 'Emanuel the Fortunate'.