AtlanticOcean

Cape Horn

Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Spain) 1492 - 1493 1493 - 1496

Capital

Russia India

Africa

China

Australia

Diogo Cão 1482 - 1485 (Portugal)

Bartholemew Diaz 1487 - 1488 (Portugal)

Vasco da Gama 1497 - 1499 (Portugal) source

In the Indies, the Portuguese continually had to fight their way into an existing trading system. They often used force to obtain a foothold for trade. Colonization of whole areas was impossible since Portugal did not have enough manpower. However, they usually succeeded in building a feitoria (a guarded trading post) and in capturing existing settlements on the coast. By establishing trading posts and taking control of port cities, the Portuguese could expand and protect their trade network in the Indies. Portuguese expeditions therefore paved the way for a profitable trading empire. Spices and other goods were collected at the trading posts and transported back to Portugal by ship. In Europe, the Portuguese became rivals to Turkish and Arab merchants and to Venice, which was still the most important merchant city in Europe.

Smart merchants started investing in expeditions to Asia and in the industries associated with them, such as shipbuilding. They tried to make as much profit as possible by investing their capital in international trade. This economic system is known as merchant capitalism

Pedro Cabral 1500 - 1501 (Portugal)

Ferdinand Magellan 1519 - 1522 (Portugal) 1498 1502 - 1504

14

Arrival in the spice capital, Calicut (Kozhikode)

That night (20/21 May 1498) we dropped anchor two leugas [one leuga is three nautical miles or 5.6 km] from the city of Calicut. One day later (22 May) four boats sailed out to meet us, upon which our captain sent one of our sailors (a convicted criminal) back to Calicut with them. They took the man to meet two Muslims from Tunis, who spoke Catalan and Genoese. He was greeted with the following words: “May the devil take you! What are you doing here?” source 15

They asked him what he was doing so far from home and he replied that he was looking for Christians and spices. They gave him shelter for the night, and bread and honey to eat. After the meal, one of them accompanied him back to our ships. As soon as the Muslim from Tunis was on board, he exclaimed: “What luck, what luck! There is an abundance of rubies and gems here! You should thank God that he has brought you to a country with such great riches!” We were most surprised, since we had never expected to hear our language spoken so far away from Portugal.

Paraphrased from: Report of Vasco da Gama’s first trip to India.

King of Money

If this route continues to be a success, we can rightly call the King of Portugal the King of Money! Everyone in Venice is surprised that a new route has been discovered, one that was unknown to our forefathers.

Paraphrased from: the diary of the Venetian Girolamo Priuli, 1501.