The taking of Constantinople and the European need to open new trade routes are two events that ushered in a new era in Europe: the era of discovery.
This era officially began in the early 15th century and lasted until the 17th century. This was the period when Europeans began exploring the world by sea in search of new trade routes, wealth, and knowledge.
Thus, European maritime exploration started a revolution that profoundly altered the course of world history.
First the Portuguese ships, and then the Spanish ones, set out to discover the "other world."
Then, in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, British, French and Dutch ships joined the exploration.
Background
A combination of coincidences and events that occurred in the 15th century caused a sudden outbreak of maritime activity. These events include the taking of Constantinople and the European need to open new trade routes.
Since ancient times there had been a lucrative trade between Europe and India. Trade took place both by sea and by land.
Thus, the sea route opened from ports on the west coast of India to the west, through the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea to Alexandria.
And the land route was traced through Afghanistan and Central Asia to the shores of the Black Sea and Constantinople.
In this way, from Alexandria and Constantinople, Indian products reached Venice and Genoa through the Mediterranean Sea.
From there these products were distributed to the main cities of Europe. Commercial products included spices such as pepper, ginger, chili peppers, cinnamon, and cloves.
Indian silk, fine muslin, and cotton cloth were also in high demand. Therefore, their prices were very high.
The beginning of the end of an era
In the 15th century the growing taste for Asian spices and luxury goods, and the tales of Marco Polo and his group of explorers, contributed to a growing interest in distant lands.
Additionally, two events resulted in political instability and the threat of cutting off land contacts with Asia.
First was the collapse of the Mongol Empire at the end of the 14th century, and then there was the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. This led to rising prices and costs of trade.
At the same time, the Muslim victory over Byzantium intensified the ancient hostility between Christianity and Islam. This rekindled the spirit of the crusade in the minds of many Europeans.
All of these conditions provided further incentives to seek new routes to sources of silk and spices in Asia, where new allies against Islam could also be found.
Inauguration of the Modern Era
The taking of Constantinople and the European need to open new trade routes, added to other events, gave way to the period of greatest activity in the history of exploration. This marked the beginning of the modern world.
In the age of discovery, achievements unimaginable at that time were achieved. In addition to discovering the New World, Europeans circled a continent, charted a new ocean, and made contact with new civilizations.
References
- Briney, A. (2017, August 19). A Brief History of the Age of Exploration. Retrieved on December 2, 2017, from thoughtco.com
- Kreis, S. (2011, May 02). Lecture 2: The Age of Discovery. Retrieved on December 2, 2017, from historyguide.org
- Farooqui Salma Ahmed. (2011). A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century. New Delhi: Pearson Education India.
- Love, RS (2006). Maritime Exploration in the Age of Discovery, 1415-1800. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
- Tirado, TC (2011, February 17). Christopher Columbus and his Legacy. Retrieved on December 2, 2017, from bbc.co.uk