Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India working on the Cape Route to India was charted by Portuguese King John II as a cost saving measure in the trade with Asia and also an attempt to monopolize the spice trade. Adding to the increasingly influential Portuguese maritime presence, John II craved for trade routes and for the expansion of the kingdom of Portugal which had already been transformed into an Empire. However, the project was not realized during his reign. It as his successor, King Manuel I, who designated Vasco da Gama for this expedition, while maintaining the original plan. However, this development was not viewed well
History of the Jews in Portugal a refugee escape route, Sousa Mendes has been honored by Israel as one of the Righteous Among The Nations. The escape route remained active throughout the war, allowing an estimated one million refugees to escape from the Nazis through Portugal during World War II. Mendes' actions were not unique. Issuing visas in contravention of instructions was widespread at Portuguese consulates all over Europe. Other cases were supported by Salazar. The Portuguese Ambassador in Budapest, Carlos Sampaio Garrido and the Chargé d'Affaires Carlos de Liz-Texeira Branquinho, under Salazar`s direct supervision, helped an estimated 1,000 Hungarian Jews in 1944. They rented houses