Indian Ocean Trade Dbq

John Dingler

Frau

AP World

16 January 2022

Portuguese in Indian Ocean Trade DBQ Since the beginning of trade, countries have developed routes to help increase the distance of trade, the efficiency, and the economic wealth of the states involved. This is exemplified within the Indian Ocean Trade Route throughout history because of the numerous different empires that benefited from peaceful trade in the region. For example, the Abbasid Empire was able to expand the Islamic faith and education throughout Asia in the period of 750 to 1258 C.E because of their use of the trade route. Not only that, but the Abbisads were also considered one of the wealthiest civilizations in the world at the time because they were able to control the Indian

Though the Abbisads would eventually lose control of the Indian Ocean Trade Route in 1258 C.E. when they collapsed as an empire, they were able to set a clear standard of Islamic rule of the trade route for hundreds of years. Overtime, the trade route would expand and include parts of Europe, Africa, and East Asia and eventually develop into an independent system of peaceful trade. This became a standard in the area until the Portuguese began to use force and take over the Indian Ocean Trade Route for their economic benefit. All in all, the Portuguese drastically transformed maritime trade in the Indian Ocean in the sixteenth century through their attempts of monopolizing and forcibly taking control of the entire trade route to help gain economic revenue and trade more items. The Portuguese negatively impacted the Indian Ocean Trade through the introduction of violence and conquering foreign lands to help impose their control and rule over the region. The Portuguese wanted to control the spice trade and gain access to luxury goods produced in Asia because they were marketable items that could make both European merchants and the Portuguese Empire profits. Moreover, the more

The Cortaz was the main tool used by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century and it was a maritime trade license that reinforced the Portuguese monopoly. Furthermore, the Cortaz helped limit the powers of other nations in trade and it promoted the spread of Portuguese power throughout the Indian Ocean Basin. Portugal also used other forms of empowerment like promoting taxes and tolls in certain ports. For example, in 1570, Zainudeen Makhdoom Al Sageer wrote about how the Portuguese imposed a carry safe conduct pass which served a toll for merchant ships. To help enforce this toll, the Portuguese would seize crewmates, ships, and cargo if a trading ship did not carry the pass. To add, the Portuguese would intercept other vessels and take their cargo to make a profit illegally. (Doc 5) Moreover, in the 1560’s the Portuguese created a blockage of Turkish involvement in the Indian Ocean Trade and stopped a free market from developing because they saw the Turks as a threat due to Muslim merchants' allegiance to the Turkish traders. Portugal was able to stop this trade from occurring by blocking ports in many parts of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and Persian Gulf simply for their economic benefit. This was highlighted further with a letter sent by a Portuguese court official to King Sebastian of Portugal to further promote the