The first european to round the cape of good hope and proceed onward to india was

Vasco da Gama.

Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese navigator that was born in 1469 and ended up dying in India in 1524. The trip that took him to round the cape of good hope took about two years, from 1497 to 1499. Manuel I of Portugal, was the king to send this exploratory expedition. A total of 170 men were distributed by the 4 ships that made the trip with Vasco da Gama on command.