The 16th-Century Contest that Shaped the Modern World
Interview with Roger Crowley about his book Spice: The 16th-Century Contest that Shaped the Modern World. Discusses how Europe’s 15th-century isolation by the Ottomans spurred Portugal’s Atlantic exploration, pioneering advanced navigation, scientifically charting routes around Africa to reach the highly lucrative Spice Islands. Initially motivated by gold, crusading, and heroism, they bypassed Muslim middlemen controlling traditional overland routes. This established a brutal maritime empire with cannons, monopolising valuable nutmeg and cloves from the Moluccas. Soon, Spain, via Magellan’s circumnavigation, entered the race. This violent competition between European powers to control the spice trade birthed globalisation, reordered the world’s economy through silver currency, and catalysed modern finance and the spread of information.
