Trade that connects the World
Indian Ocean Network
650-1750
http://www.indianoceanhistory.org/
INDIAN OCEAN MONSOONS
JANUARY MONSOON (DRY) WINDS
JULY MONSOON (WET) WINDS
INDIAN OCEAN TRADE
1. Merchants from Muslim, Indian, Chinese worlds
2. Two types of commodities: luxury, staple
3. Government protected trade through entrepôts
4. Commonly observed rules, stability
5. Merchants frequently spread faith, culture
INDIAN OCEAN
TRADE NETWORK
COFFEE
SLAVES
IVORY
HORSES
SILKS
GOLD
STEEL
CLOTH
YARN
SILKS
INDIGO
PEPPER
GEMS
ANIMALS
DRUGS
SILVER
LACQUER
SILK
PORCELAIN
SUGAR
LUXERIES
TEA
SPICES
TIMBER
RICE
MEDICINES
MING DYNASTY
Ming Dynasty overthrew Yuan (Mongols);
sought sought to re-establish past Chinese
prominence and power in trade, technology.
Ming revived old Chinese knowledge,
rebuild Chinese arts, skills, and
traditions in silk and porcelain,
strengthen Neo-Confucianism
Best known example was to
write complete encyclopedia
of all knowledge(11,000 volumes).
China
• China had been sailing
the Indian Ocean and
China sea since 1st
century BCE
• Chinese had armed
junks with multiple
masts and sails since
the 2nd century CE
China
• Chinese junks had watertight
compartments in the ship’s hull by
the 2nd century CE
• China had axial rudder since 1st
century CE
China
• China invented the magnetic
compass in the 12th century CE
• Chinese were more advanced with
astronomy and celestial navigation
CHINESE
MOTIVATIONS
Yong le emperor usurped throne from second
emperor, who “fled abroad.” Emperor sent chief
eunuch and fleet to find him and to reestablish
ancient tribute system.
Tribute system was
proof of Chinese
superiority.
ZHENG - HE
Muslim palace eunuch of the
Yong-le emperor. His position
and knowledge of foreigners
and “Western” lands made him
ideal to lead Emperor’s fleets.
In Nanking, oversaw building of
the fleet, recruitment of sailors,
soldiers, and guides. Much
resentment to his expeditions
even amongst official circles.
MING NAVAL VOYAGES
Seven voyages called treasure fleets.
Ships visited Vietnam, Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Iran, Arabian
peninsula including Yemen and Red Sea ports,
Somalia, and Kenya.
Typical fleet had around
100 ships, largest weighing
3,000 tons, carrying up to
90,000 troops, sailors.
Voyages of Zheng He
(1405-33 CE)
• In contrast,
Columbus’
fleet only
had three
ships, the
largest only
115 ft. long
and carried
40 men.
STAR RAFTS, DRAGON FLEETS
• Chinese fleet had hundreds of ships
• 130 meter long, 9-masted, 3,000+ tons
• Crews of thousands, tons of cargoes
• Watertight bulkheads, retractable rudders
CHINESE TACTICS
Chinese methods could be called the
“carrot and the stick” - Chinese sought
trade and tribute. They needed very
little but others wanted Chinese
goods. When states refused to
submit, trade, Zheng He used
superior troops,weapons as
diplomacy, but sparingly.
Voyages of Zheng He
(1405-33 CE)
• After 1433, the Chinese government
launched no further expeditions.
• In 1436, the emperor forbade
building ships for overseas voyages.
• While Spain and Portugal explored
and claimed new lands, China
withdrew from sea voyage.
Reasons China did not
explore the world
• 1. The Chinese government had an
inadequate system of collecting
taxes. Spending exceeded revenue.
• 2. Chinese believed that their
civilization was superior to all others,
so foreign goods were inferior, and
there was little to learn from
foreigners.
Reasons China did not
explore the world
• 3. Neo-Confucian scholars held
many important government posts.
Their philosophy suppressed the
desire for worldly things. So trade
was held in contempt.
• 4. In the mid-1400s, Mongols began
frequently attacking China’s northern
border.
TO THE AMERICAS?
There is some question as to whether Zheng
He’s fleet might have made it to the Americas
around 1421/3. The descriptions within the
journals of the
official voyage
seem to match a
journey of West
to East past Japan
along the Aleutians
and down the West
Coast to Mexico.
BENEFITS?
China benefited little. Zheng-He never found
the missing prince. He did reestablish the old
tribute system throughout much of the South
China Sea and Bay of Bengal. Little except spices
was found to trade although most states did want
Chinese porcelain and silks.
Portugal came to control the Indian Ocean spice
trade, which made the kingdom very wealthy.
The biggest gain was the spread of Christianity
by missionaries throughout the region.
TIMELINES
1405: Zheng He’s first of seven voyages leaves Nanking
1406: Ptolemy’s Geography translated in West; Chinese reach India
1411: Zheng He conquers Sri Lanka
1415: Zheng He conquers Sumatran Kingdom, reach Hormuz
1416: Henry the Navigator defeats Muslims in Morocco
1417: Zheng He intervenes in Indian wars
1418: Chinese armada attacks Mogadishu
1420: Portuguese reach Madiera, explore African coast
1427: Portuguese reach Azores
1433: Zheng He dies, disgraced
1434: Portuguese fleet enters Bight of Benin, Gulf of Guinea
1436: Ming Emperor ends overseas naval explorations
1488: Portuguese (Diaz) reach southern tip of Africa
1498: Portuguese reach west coast of India by way of East Africa
CH’I-LIN AND
CONFUCIANS
The Chinese “unicorn” is a symbol
of good fortune, justice. Its coming
was symbolic of good times and peace.
Neo-Confucian doctrine taught that
China was at the center of the world and had
reached the heights of power,
influence. They despised
merchants, disliked eunuchs,
favored internal development.
THE MING END
• Northern nomads
• The Great Wall
• A New Capital
• New Emperor
• Japanese pirates
• Grand Canal
• Cost of fleets
• Anti-eunuch
• Confucianism
Arabs
• Arabs dominated
Mediterranean and
Indian Ocean since
9CE
Arab dhow
Dar al Islam
•Arab ships weren’t as big as the Chinese, but they
dominated spice islands of Malaysia, gold-rich
Africa, and cotton/silk-producing Asia!
Indian Ocean Trade
•Arab merchants were ordained by the Prophet. “I
commend the merchants to you, for they are the
courtiers of the horizons and God’s trusted
servants on earth.” ~Mohammed
•Arabs had developed sophisticated
methods of determining latitude
Astrolabe & Quadrant
• When a sailor loses sight of land, he
must have a method of determining
his direction. Determining latitude
could be done by using the astrolabe
(a simple wooden or brass stick with
degrees marked around its edge), or
by using the quadrant, (a quarter circle
measuring 0 to 90 degrees marked
around its curved edge).
quadrants and
astrolabes
Ibn Battuta
th
(14
•Arabs traveled for
discovery. Ibn Battuta, an
Islamic historian traveled
over 75,000 miles, making
him one of most traveled
men of his age. He visited
India, China, Sri Lanka,
Sumatra, and the African
interior as far south as the
Niger River.
century)
Ibn Battuta
th
(14
century)
Because he was
only a passenger
aboard ships he
was never an
explorer in the true
sense, but this did
not make his
achievements any
less important
PORTUGUESE
MOTIVATION:
GOD, GLORY, GOLD
• Religious Zeal
• Prestor John
• Crusades
• Trade Monopoly
• Ottomans
• Mansa Musa
• Renaissance
• Technology
TO AFRICA AND
THE CAPE
West Africa was Portugal’s
training ground. The local
states were more powerful
than the Portuguese and
wanted to trade. Portuguese
learned to raid and trade,
while bettering sailing
knowledge and pushing
further south.
PRINCE HENRY THE
NAVIGATOR
Portugal reconquered land from
Muslims, but hemmed in by Castile;
turned to seas to make future. State
backed overseas exploration,
shipbuilding, and schools to
train sailors. State rewarded
success through titles,
property. Prince Henry
lead Portuguese efforts.
PORTUGUESE ADMIRALS
Prince Henry’s schools trained
sailors from all over Europe;
promotion based on experience.
Sailors taught navigation using
Arab astrolabe, compass; ships
designed specifically for Atlantic.
Fleet pushed into Atlantic, discovered
Azores, Canaries; followed coasts of
Africa. Portuguese conquered Ceuta
in Morocco to begin expansion.
PORTUGUESE NAVAL
VOYAGES
Three phases: down
African coast to Cape
of Good Hope, Cape to
India along East African
coast, and India to
China through Malacca
Straits. Fleets and ships
often small but heavily
armed.
CARAVEL & NAO
Portuguese ships had to be
able to withstand hazards,
weather of Atlantic, some of
the worst on the globe. Sails
had to be able to turn as
wind direction changed. Bow was high to cut the
waves. Stern, bow were
fighting castles as ships
were sailing forts, armed
with heavy, light guns.
PORTUGUESE TACTICS
At first, threats backed
by terror tactics and
military technology:
the Portuguese were
little less than pirates.
Later, seize control of
choke points (straits),
build forts, monopolize
spice trade, send out
missionaries, all controlled
from central capital, Goa.
THE INDIAN OCEAN
Portugal found a thriving
trade dominated by Muslim
merchants and their states.
Portugal sacked most of the
Swahili city-states in East Africa
and built forts to control key points.
In India, Portugal had nothing to
trade with the Hindus and tried the
tactics. Later, Portugal established
markets, forts, missions, and wed
local women to control trade.
European Incentive
• The Crusades brought knowledge and
goods from Asia and the Islamic
world.
European Incentive
• The Mongol Empire had fostered
trade between east and west; but
it’s collapse
disrupted
this trade.
European Incentive
• Asian spices improved European
food. But spice had to be bought
from Arab
merchants
became
wealthy at the
expense of
Europe.
Trade disadvantages of
Europe
• Lack of trade items; other
than gold and silver, Europe had
nothing that the east wanted.
This led to a drain of wealth in
Europe.
Trade disadvantage of
Europe
2. Geography; Europe was isolated
from
Asia. They
were forced to
Rely on Arab
merchants that
acted as the
middle men in
Trade disadvantage of
Europe
3. Lack of technology; Europe
did not have the technology to
conquer of bypass the Arab world.
European technological
th
changes of the 15 century
• Better ships: Europeans developed
deep-draft ships capable of carrying
heavy loads
on the
Atlantic
Ocean.
European technological
th
changes of the 15 century
2. Magnetic compass: Europe
adopted the compass from the
Arabs who themselves got it from
the Chinese.
European technological
th
changes of the 15 century
• Mapmaking: Mapmaking
enhanced by
humanism from
the Renaissance
became more
accurate.
European technological
th
changes of the 15 century
4. Gunpowder: Europe adopted
the knowledge of gunpowder from
the Chinese.
European technological
th
changes of the 15 century
5. Metalwork: European advancements
in metalworking allowed blacksmiths to
create the first guns and cannons.
Portuguese
Exploration
From 1419 until his
death in [1460],
Prince Henry sent
expeditions down
the west coast of
Africa to outflank
the Muslim hold on
Asian trade routes.
Portuguese Exploration
• It wasn't
until 27 years
after Henry's
death that
Bartolomeu
Dias ship
rounded the
Cape of Good
Hope in
[1487].
Portuguese
Exploration
Vasco da Gama
rounded the
Cape of Good
Hope in 1497
and continue
sailing along the eastern coast of
African. He located a route to India, but
had to contend with Arab strongholds.
Portuguese
Exploration
In 1502, he
returned with
14 heavily
armed ships and defeat the Arab fleet.
By 1511, the Portuguese controlled the
Spice routes. In 1513, Portuguese trade
extended to China and Japan.
Spanish Exploration
• Portuguese success inspires Columbus
to sail west to reach the Indies
– Financed by Ferdinand and Isabella of
Spain, who wanted to increase Spanish
power.
– They had recently defeated the Muslims
(Moors) in Spain, and need wealth to
maintain control.
– They were also eager to Christianize the
East.
Spanish Exploration
• Columbus reaches the Caribbean
which he believes to be the East
Indies
Line of Demarcation
• Since there were two catholic countries
vying for territory in the new world.
• The Pope draws a line down the world
 Spain has rights to the land west of
the line; Portugal has rights to the land
east of the line.
• Known as the Treaty of Tordesillas,
it divides the world between Spain and
Portugal.
THE PORTUGUESE END
In 1580, the last Portuguese
king died and his nearest
male heir was Philip II,
King of Spain who inherited
the crown of Portugal.
Spanish interests came
first. During Spanish rule,
Dutch, French, and English
encroached on Portuguese
markets, empire, stealing
both for their states.
FIRST TO ENTER,
LAST TO LEAVE
Portugal was first European nation to establish
a colonial empire and the last to lose it. In 1960,
India annexed Goa; in 1975, Mozambique
gained independence; Indonesia took East Timor,
and in1999, Macao was returned to China.