Portugal and China in the Indian Ocean

THE INDIAN OCEAN

INDIAN OCEAN MONSOONS JANUARY MONSOON (DRY) WINDS JULY MONSOON (WET) WINDS

INDIAN OCEAN TRADE 1. Merchants from Muslim, Indian, Chinese worlds 2. Two types of commodities: luxury, staple 3. Government protected trade through entrepôts 4. Commonly observed rules, stability 5. Merchants frequently spread faith, culture

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS INDIAN OCEAN

MING DYNASTY Overthrew Yuan (Mongols) Wanted to re-establish past Chinese (Tang) prominence and power Revived old Chinese knowledge Rebuild Chinese arts Strengthened Neo-Confucianism

CHINESE MOTIVATIONS Emperor Zhu Di usurped throne from second emperor (nephew) Nephew fled abroad Emperor sent chief eunuch and fleet Find him Reestablish ancient tribute system Proof of Chinese superiority

PORTUGUESE MOTIVATION: GOD, GLORY, GOLD Religious zeal Crusades Trade monopoly Ottomans Mansa Musa Renaissance Technology

TO AFRICA & THE CAPE West Africa=Portugal’s training ground Local states more powerful than Portugal and wanted trade Portuguese while pushing south learned Raid and trade Better sailing knowledge

ZHENG - HE Muslim palace eunuch Ideal to lead emperor’s fleet Knowledge of foreigners Knowledge of “Western” lands In Nanking oversaw: Building of fleet Recruitment of sailors, soldiers, and guides Much resentment against his expeditions

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR Portugal reconquered land from Muslims Hemmed in by Castile Turned to seas to make future State backed: Overseas exploration Shipbuilding Schools to train sailors State rewarded success Titles Property

PORTUGUESE ADMIRALS Trained sailors from all over Europe Promotion based on experience Taught navigation using Arab astrolabe & compass Ships designed for Atlantic Fleet pushed into Atlantic Discovered Azores, Canaries Followed coasts of Africa

MING VOYAGES Seven voyages called treasure fleets Ships visited SE Asia, India, Arabia, Africa Typical fleet had around: 100 ships, largest about 3,000 tons 90,000 troops, sailors

PORTUGUESE VOYAGES Fleets small but heavily armed Three phases: Down African coast to Cape of Good Hope Cape to India along East African coast India to China through Malacca Straits

STAR RAFTS ( DRAGON FLEETS) Chinese fleet had 100’s of ships 130 meter long, 9-masted, 3,000+ tons Crews of thousands, tons of cargo Watertight bulkheads, retractable rudders

CARAVEL & NAO Had to handle hazards, weather of Atlantic some of worst on globe Sails had to be able to turn as wind direction changed Bow was high to cut the waves Ships were sailing forts Stern, bow were castles Armed with heavy, light guns

CHINESE TACTICS “Carrot and stick” Sought trade and tribute Needed little but others wanted their goods If states refused to submit/trade, Zheng He used superior troops & weapons as diplomacy (sparingly)

PORTUGUESE TACTICS First, threats backed by terror tactics and military technology Essentially pirates Later, from capital, Goa (now an Indian State): Controlled choke points (straits) Built forts Monopolized spice trade Sent missionaries

THE INDIAN OCEAN Found Muslim’s thriving trade Sacked most Swahili city-states in East Africa Built forts to control key points In India, had nothing to trade with Hindus Later, to control trade: Established markets, forts, missions Wed local women

BENEFITS? China benefited little Zheng-He never found missing prince Did reestablish tribute system Little except spices found to trade Portugal came to control Indian Ocean spice trade, making it wealthy Biggest gain was spread of Christianity

TIMELINES 1405: Zheng He’s first of seven voyages leaves Nanking 1406: Ptolemy’s Geography translated in West; Chinese reach India 1411: Zheng He conquers Sri Lanka 1415: Zheng He conquers Sumatran Kingdom, reach Hormuz 1416: Henry the Navigator defeats Muslims in Morocco 1417: Zheng He intervenes in Indian wars 1418: Chinese armada attacks Mogadishu 1420: Portuguese reach Madiera, explore African coast 1427: Portuguese reach Azores 1433: Zheng He dies, disgraced 1434: Portuguese fleet enters Bight of Benin, Gulf of Guinea 1436: Ming Emperor ends overseas naval explorations 1488: Portuguese reach southern tip of Africa 1498: Portuguese reach west coast of India by way of East Africa

CH’I-LIN AND CONFUCIANS Chinese “unicorn” is symbol of good fortune Its coming symbolic of good times Neo-Confucians taught: China was center of world Had reached height of power Neo-Confucians: Despised merchants Disliked eunuchs Favored internal development

MING END Northern nomads Great Wall A New Capital New Emperor Japanese pirates Grand Canal Cost of fleets Anti-eunuch Confucianism

PORTUGUESE END Dutch, French, and English: Encroached on Portuguese markets & empire Stole both for their states 1580—last Portuguese king died Philip II, King of Spain, inherited crown Spanish interests first

FIRST TO ENTER, LAST TO LEAVE FIRST TO ENTER, LAST TO LEAVE Portugal first European nation to establish colonial empire and last to lose it 1960—India annexed Goa 1975—Mozambique independent & Indonesia took East Timor 1999—Macao returned to China

CHINA AND PORTUGAL IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

LINKS Dutch and Portuguese Colonial History Asian Journey The European Voyages of Exploration index.html Internet History Sourcebook Project