Pedro Cabral was a 15th century Portuguese nobleman and explorer who was sent by King Manuel I on a voyage to India in 1500. While traveling to India with 13 ships, Cabral discovered Brazil after spotting land on April 22, 1500, making him the first European to find Brazil. Cabral's voyage faced many hardships, including shipwrecks and attacks from Muslim traders, and by the time he returned to Portugal on June 23, 1501 he only had 4 ships remaining. Cabral made several important geographic discoveries and his voyage opened trade between Europe and Asia around Africa, contributing significantly to the Age of Discovery.