11 jul 1405 año - Zheng He departs on first voyage

Descripción:

Between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim admiral, led seven voyages around the Indian Ocean as far as Africa in an attempt to extend China's influence. Though successful, future voyages were stopped as they been highly expensive, with some saying that China’s resources had better uses than ships.

Photo: One of Zhang He's many ships.