![]() ![]() Portuguese who were unable to monopolize these vast sources of new wealth. To finance the veritable explosion in Europe's trade with Asia during the 16th, 17th, and 18thĬenturies: because Europe had very little to sell Asians except her silver in order to buy spices:Įuropean exports to Asia were roughly 75% silver and only 25% goods in the early modern era.ĭ) Economic power is more or less transitory and proved to be quite fleeting for the Spanish and Gama, 1497, on arriving in Calicut, India: 'I come in search of Christians and spices ' quickly forgotĪbout the Christians.] Indeed it may be that the fundamental importance of New World treasure was Of the very source of the Oriental spice trade in the East Indies and Malaysia, and India. Initially the Spanish seized control of gold and silver treasure in the New World and the Portuguese Silver, were together the leitmotif - the chief incentives for European overseas explorations andĬolonization from the late 15th to 17th centuries.Ĭ) The Portuguese and the Spanish were the first to engage in this overseas race to bypass the Italians. From the 12th to the 17th centuries, Oriental spicesĬonstituted the most profitable and dynamic element in European trade - the veritable cream thatīrought Italian merchants in particular enormous profits and it may very well be that Italianĭominance of medieval commerce and finance rested principally upon their control of the Orientalī) Subsequently, the lure of enormous profits from the spice trades, along with a lust for gold and Trades and few can escape its fascinations. Spices in the Medieval and Early Modern European Economy :Ī) Furthermore, no economic historian of late-medieval Europe can ignore the importance of the spice Patterns, in both food and clothing, including of courses spices.Ģ. ![]() In late-medieval Europe and I thus have a considerable interest in living standards and consumption Sixty or so spices that I maintain in our kitchen spice racks - which does not include that westernĬoncoction known as curry powder (garam massala is something else).ĭ) As an economic historian, my interests have focused in particular upon money, prices, and wages Later, on this screen, IĬ) Cooking is still one of my chief hobbies, and Indian cooking my favourite, requiring the bulk of the Results, until a lady-friend took pity on me - or more likely on her own stomach - by giving me asĪ Christmas present what is still by far the most used of my dozen or more Indian and OrientalĬookbooks: The Art of India's Cookery (by Saraswathi Lakshmanan, 1964). I soon settled especially on Indian food - though I still love all forms of Asian, Middle Eastern, andī) Coming back to Canada, I tried to imitate Indian cooking with absolutely abysmal, disastrous On the advice of friends, I quickly found salvation inĪ wide variety of spicy foods, cheaply priced in London's ubiquitous Italian and Asian restaurants and Something much more unpleasant than English weather and London smog: English food, that isĮnglish food cooked to death by Englishman. My interest in spices, medieval and modern, is much moreĪmateur than professional, and I do not claim to be an authority on the medieval spice trades.Ī) My predominantly amateur interest in spices owes its origins, however, to my professionalīeginnings, in my mid 20s, doing research in London's Public Record Office. Medieval Mediterranean (Venetian) trade, for 15 November 2001, at this URL: More graphs, tables, and maps may be accessed from my on-line lectures for Economics 201Y, for ![]() Have been added that were not in the original lectures (the most recent in November 2001). The graphs referred to in this text have not been reproduced in this document but some tables Perspectives Committee, Senior Alumni Association, University of Toronto, at University College, It was subsequently delivered in the revised form that appears below as: 'Oriental Spices and TheirĬosts in Medieval Cuisine: Luxuries or Necessities?' A lecture delivered to the Canadian How Much Did Silks and Spices Really Cost? It was delivered to the Royal Ontario MuseumĬontinuing Education Symposium (University of Toronto): Silk Roads, China Ships, on 12 October The following lecture was originally delivered under the title: The Luxury Trades of the Silk Road: The Consumption of Spices and Their Costs in Late-Medieval and Early-Modern Spices and Their Costs in Medieval Europe ![]()
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