Spanish & Portuguese in Afro-Eurasia vs. the Americas A comparison

Spanish and Portuguese had same motives Changed status quo Longer expeditions Break monopolies on trade Bring in specie to strengthen national monarchies Convert non-Christians Drive out or do battle with Muslim forces

Wealth of conquered territories By 15th century trade was revived Collapsed during the Black Death of the 1300’s IO Network: rich trading states on coastal India (Malabar), Persian Gulf, Eastern Africa, Malacca, Southern Coast of China Large amounts of spice – esp. Pepper Many port cities Muslim IO Free Trade Zone prior to Portuguese domination Revival of the IO trade network left link between E. African Coast, S. Asia, SE Asia to China Indian subcontinent center of trade routes

Africans were savvy Attempted to control relationships with Portuguese Sent ambassadors Threatened to end trade if necessary Established royal monopolies

East Africans – savvy and Muslim Trading states Muslim, but city-states Malinda only state to side with Portuguese against its neighbors Bombardment campaign necessary to establish Portuguese control Alliance with Christian Ethiopia against Ottoman influence

Middle Easterners – savvy and strong Ottoman Empire able to help Encouraged overland trade routes by protecting caravans and providing safe rest stops. Revenue helped finance Ottoman military expansion Portuguese still took Hormuz Couldn't’t take Aden Aden & Hormuz were major trading hubs between Asia and Arabs. Portuguese wanted to take over both to prevent Arabs trade.

Indians – Savvy but under-armed Calicut, previous site of humiliation, conquered through use of cannon Gujarat conquered Areas that resisted were cut off from trade No attempt at penetration beyond entrepot cities

Malaccans – savvy but divided Some supported integration of new traders Already multicultural Unable to resist Portuguese cannon Malacca captured and controlled by Portuguese

Chinese – savvy and strong Trade welcomed but limited to Macao Portuguese used to transport trade between China and Japan – the yearly “black ships” No penetration into interior

Chinese – savvy and strong Internal growth in Ming dynasty fueled Eurasian commerce Elaborate trade networks developed Domestic production of silk and porcelain expanded Foreign demand for silk and porcelain increased Foreigners paid for Chine products with silver Silver became the basis of Ming monetary system Japan and eventually the Americas were major sources of silver

Important Factors Resistance to disease of Afro-Eurasians meant no penetration into interior Portuguese cannon on ships allowed for establishment of a Maritime Trade Empire, but NOT complete control Monopoly of Italians broken; Portugal became very wealthy

The Americas – Very different Motives of explorers exploitation of natural resources, slave trade Amerindians naïve, ritualistic in warfare Little resistance to long-established Afro-Eurasian diseases – up to 50% of population died Little metallurgy; Europeans had technological advantage e.g. swords and armor No firearms No horses for cavalry

The Aztec empire and the Spanish conquest 1. Mexica Society In Mesoamerica, the Mexica had created a large, complex empire that embraced perhaps 25 million people. The Aztec state was based on extensive kinship networks. Priest played a powerful role as well. The Mexica believed in a cyclical universe and a coming apocalypse. Captives were sacrificed to the gods. From 1440 onward, the Aztec empire was under stress. Conquered people on the periphery were rebelling.

Aztec Cortés and Conquest Hernan Cortés arrived in early sixteenth century. Aztec ruler Moctezuma and his ministers feared Cortés and his men were the god Quetzalcoátl and his entourage and sent emissaries to distract them, but made little effort to fortify the empire. Doña Marina, a daughter of a local Indian noble farmer, was the key to translating between Aztecs and Spanish. Cortés made alliances with aggrieved Aztec enemies. Cortés entered the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, in 1519 and captured Moctezuma, who then ruled as a Spanish puppet. The Aztecs rose in rebellion two years later but were defeated by the Spanish and their allies. Spanish had more advanced technology. Aztecs fought to capture, not to kill. Diseases brought over by the Spanish wiped out much of the Aztec population and made resistance all the more difficult. Cortés became governor of the colony "New Spain."Unhappy minority populations within brutal Aztec joined with Spanish conquistadores Attempts at parley resulted in Mocteczuma being held hostage in Tenochtitlan Seeing their emperor fall broke the religious faith that sustained the power structure

Aztec Disease wiped out many, reduced chance to resist conquistadores Clever, long-known European military strategies used effectively (e.g. Cavalry charge) After brief resistance, empire fell

Inca Already weakened by smallpox when Pizarro arrived Had been through succession battle and civil war just prior Ceremonially welcomed Pizarro Pizarro’s men betrayed Ayathualpa, cut down litter which ended religious authority

Inca From capital of Cuzco, Incas governed an empire of 4 to 6 million As Spanish arrived, internal strife over inheritance of empire Smallpox epidemic struck Spanish led by Francisco Pizarro, take advantage of internal conflict to conquer the Incas in 1532. After conquest, Spanish establish their capital in Lima. Spanish fight over spoils of the empire.

General factors -- Americas Religious nature of state meant ceremonial warfare When leaders fell, religious basis of power put into question Spread of epidemic diseases seemed inspired by gods Lack of military techniques and technology Dishonesty of conquistadors

Major differences: Port v. Spanish Portuguese Encountered experienced populations with almost as good tech Couldn’t use spread of disease to penetrate inland Had a MARITIME trade empire Focused on dominating the IO trade, trade with West Africa Spanish Encountered Naïve populations with little technology Used spread of Smallpox to weaken population Established LAND EMPIRES Focused on extracting resources (esp. Specie) from land