What Role Did The Spice Islands Play In European Exploration

Sailing the vast ocean to find new trade routes. Steering the ship to dodge the harsh waves and weather patterns. The Age of Exploration marked the peak of Portuguese power and wealth. Although Portugal lacked the population and prosperity of its rivals, it became a leading European country in maritime exploration.

The Spice Islands played a large role in Portuguese exploration. The Spice Islands are located on a small group of islands north-east of Indonesia. Spices were very valuable and prized at the time. They were in high demand and many countries voyaged overseas to get them. Spices were very valuable and prized. The Portuguese were interested in having the precious spices in their own hands. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453,

The Ottoman Turks started charging the Portuguese high fees for such treasured spices. The Portuguese discovered a route the popular Spice Islands in 1510 when they got shipwrecked on the way back from a voyage and made their way to Indonesia. Eventually, bands of Mongols and Tartars invaded their trade route and the Portuguese had to go out and find a new one. The Portuguese came across the Sultan of Ternate, who produced cloves, an expensive spice that was traded in the Spice Islands. Portuguese wanted to take control of the spice trade away from the Muslim merchants. In 1522, the Sultan of Ternate wanted to team up with the Portuguese to build a fortress against the Sultan of Tidore, in return for exclusive rights to cloves produced under the sultan. As a result, the Sultan of Tidore reacted by forming an alliance with the Spanish to rebel against the Portuguese.

The most popular spices traded in the Spice Islands were cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and cinnamon. Cloves were grown in the Indonesian islands of Ternate, Tidore, and Bacan. They were first introduced by Arabian traders who controlled the trade of many spices to Portugal. People used the parts of a clove to make certain medicines and antidotes to treat pains and diseases. They were also used in cooking to add a spicy warmth to the dish. Portuguese usually used in meat dishes to marinate the meat and prepare it for cooking. It was also used to preserve the freshness of the meat since there were no such thing as refrigerators. The Portuguese also used nutmeg as medicine to treat kidney diseases or vomiting. Arabian traders first introduced it to the Venetians, and the word about the prized spice eventually spread to Portugal. Pepper was used as a seasoning and a preservative for the Portuguese. It has a strong spice to it that many people enjoy. In addition, it was a life saver during voyages to keep meat somewhat fresh and tasty throughout the expedition. Cinnamon was commonly used to season sweet dishes. Like other spices, was also used to stop fresh foods from spoiling. In 1536, the Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka for the Sinhalese king and received a tribute of 110,000 pounds of cinnamon a year. (CLOVES, CINNAMON, MACE AND NUTMEG: THE SPICE ISLANDS SPICES)

Spices from the Spice Islands were very valuable.

They were traded for gold, silver, glass, or silk. Spices were so treasured that even the high officials couldn’t afford them. By the 1400s, when navigation technology had improved, the kings and queens of Europe funded their own spice-hunting voyages. The demand for spices grew since spices covered the taste of spoiled meat. Spices were more expensive than meat, and fresh meat was available. Spices eliminated the need for butchers to throw unwanted animal parts and blood in the streets. Refrigeration was not available and some hot spices like nutmeg or salt serve as a

preservative.

Macau highly influenced Portuguese trade and wealth. In 1513, Jorge Alvarez, a Portuguese explorer, landed in Southern China while on a voyage. Macau was a fishing village that wasn’t valued in China, but the Portuguese saw it as the perfect location for trading. Portuguese voyagers tried to negotiate with China as early as 1517, but were rejected by the Chinese emperor. The Portuguese didn’t gain Macau until 1556 when they defeated pirates in the Battle of Macau. Macau mainly became a refuge for European traders and missionaries from 1750 to 1840. There were always disagreements between Portugal and China over Macau. Portugal had to pay $9,645 worth of silver each year to the Chinese. The Portuguese viewed this as a rental payment to China, but the Chinese viewed it as a tribute from Portugal.

The location of Macau gave the Portuguese wealth from trade. In 1559, Macau became the official place for international trade with China and Japan. Both Chinese and Portuguese merchants flocked to Macau for trading benefits. Macau was also a port for ships sailing to Lisbon and Nagasaki. Macanese traded goods with other countries in exchange for silver. Annually, a ship from Portugal came to Macau and brought all the profits of silver back so Portugal. The Portuguese gained prosperity from trading with the Japanese.

Great economic success for Macau caused jealousy competition with other countries. The Dutch already plotted many failed attempts to attack Macau. In 1622, they launched a fleet of thirteen ships with a total of 1,300 men on board in command of Admiral Cornelis Reijersen. The goal of the expedition was to establish a trade route in China, while tearing down the trade route to Macau. On their voyage, they came face to face with a Siamese war craft made up of 28 Siamese and 20 Japanese people. They ended up joining the Dutch in the expedition to ruin Macau’s trading success. Their fleets arrived at Macau while most citizens were away in another city to buy goods for the annual Japanese trade. Also, the Ming emperor needed the Portuguese’s help defending against the Qing dynasty, so many of Macau’s cannons and men were away also. People of Macau acknowledged that the Dutch were attacking them the next day, so they took time to plan their battle accordingly. The deaths of Dutch attackers outnumbered the Portuguese defenders due to poor strategy and planning. After the invasion, Macau developed a proper governing system to prevent future attacks. The successful Battle of Macau meant that Portugal could still gain profits from the China-Japan trade.

Vasco Da Gama was the first European to sail to India by going all around Africa. In 1497, he led a four ship expedition with a crew of 170 men. His goal was to find a direct route to India for more spices. Da Gama’s vessels went south, taking advantage of the harsh winds. He rounded the Cape of Good Hope during his voyage and made his way up the coasts of Africa. When many of his crew members caught scurvy due to food shortage and lack of hygiene, Vasco Da Gama made a stop at Mozambique.Mozambique was a Muslim country who wasn’t accepting to the Christian explorers. When the sultan gave Da Gama’s crew many fruits and vegetables for their voyage back, the Portuguese grew suspicious of their actual intentions. Therefore, they forced Muslims on board and threatened them with boiling oil to spill the tea. Vasco Da Gama discovered that Mozambique was planning to attack the Portuguese vessels. As a result, they were able to stave an attack and eventually formed an alliance with the Muslims they captured. In 1502, he went on another voyage to India with twenty vessels on board in response to Pedro Álvares Cabral. Pedro Álvares Cabral was another Portuguese explorer that headed several expeditions to secure a trade route to India. Da Gama’s crew raided Muslim areas and attacked a Muslim ship on the coast of Africa to mark Portuguese presence and power He then traveled to Cochin (a city in India), and eventually formed an alliance with the ruler.

Bartolomeu Dias was the first European to travel around the Southern tip of Africa.

In 1450, the Ottoman Empire conquered the Byzantine Empire and they shut down the trade route to Asia. João II ( the king of Portugal from 1455 to 1495) wanted to find a way around the Southern tip of Africa, so he sponsored Dias in the expedition around Africa. He set out on his voyage in 1488, but had a difficult time directing the ship due to temperature and harsh winds. Dias followed the south-eastern winds, which eventually brought him to the Cape of Good Hope and the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean. At Kwaaihoek, they built a padrão (large stone cross) to mark the presence of Portuguese exploration at the site. He wanted to sail further into the ocean, but his crew urged him to turn back due to the lack of food and supplies left. In 1489, Dias was forced to explain to the king how he failed the goal of the expedition. As a result, he lost the privilege of being the captain of future

voyages.