Closing the Silk Road and Discovery the New World

Eventually, the Ottomans boycotted trade with China and subsequently closed the silk road. I wish to investigate whether this closing of the Silk Road for trade with Asia forced the hands of European nations to look for alternative means of transporting goods. Simply accepting that trade with Asia would not be possible would have caused irreparable effects on the economic stability of numerous European nations. To enrich this essay, I will use a wide range of sources to provide detail and analysis.

The scope of this investigation will be guided by the question: to what extent can the Ottoman empire be held responsible for the European Expansion?

I plan to provide information and reasoning to investigate the argument that the Ottoman Empire’s control and closing of the Silk Road during the 1450’s was a leading factor in the discovery of the New World and the onset of European Expansion and the Age of Discovery. The discovery of the New World by European nations has lead to the growth of one of the most powerful nations, The United States, in the history of the world, along with unprecedented economic and social growth. Initially, the New World provided mother-countries with excesses of natural goods and minerals, but none of this would have been possible without the necessity to seek new trade routes to Asia.

With control of the Silk Road, the Ottoman Empire was able to decide who and what could be traded. I will structure the essay according to the following sections: The Ottoman Empire, The Ottoman Impact on European Nations, The Caravel, European Expansion, Source Analysis, and Analysis, with each section containing additional analysis the addresses the information displayed by the title.

The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was originally created by a group of Turkish tribes in Asia Minor. Situated around a majority of the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, the Ottomans were fortunate to have control over most of the major trade routes connecting Europe to Asia. The Ottoman Empire rose to power while both fighting the Byzantines and defending against the Kanate. The Ottoman-Byzantine war was a long and deadly war, spanning for more than 100 years. By 1453, the Byzantine Empire was almost completely defeated. After gaining a stronghold in the Balkans, the Ottomans took Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire (Global Connections, 2016).

During this seige, the Ottomans primarily used weapons that they received through trade along the Silk road. Through trade with other nations using the Silk Road, the Ottoman Empire discovered gunpowder. The newfound power of gunpowder allowed the Ottoman army to use gunpowder cannons to break the walls of Constantinople (Lewis, 1976). The Byzantine Empire had become a relatively weak opponent for the Ottoman Empire after the 11th century, when the rise of Muslim Seljuk Turks degraded their power (Ploetz, 1972). This allowed for Western European nations to have a more predominant influence on the Byzantine Empire (Lewis, 1976).

For the next several hundred years, the Byzantine Empire was plagued by constant wars that continually weakened their military power. When it came time to fight the Ottomans, the war was long and drawn out, but the resistance was not substantial.

Spanning for more than 600 years, the height of Ottoman powers came during the 15th and 16th centuries, at the same time that European nations experienced the Age of Discovery. With the acquisition of gunpowder and the cannon from the Silk road, they were able to easily tear through the Byzantine’s triple wall structure to capture Constantinople. With this new land, the Ottomans had control of the Western edge of the Silk road (Global Connections, 2016). With control of the Silk road, the Ottomans could completely control who had access to the trade routes, and what good could be traded (Yapp, 2017). The power to regulate trade provided a competitive advantage over most of Europe that would lead to more rapid economic growth, and subsequently a more powerful military.

The control of the Silk road allowed them to regulate and tax any good that European nations traded along the Silk road and the Mediterranean Sea (Matthew, 2003). The Ottomans quickly recognized the importance of the Silk road and Mediterranean Sea to European nations, and they began to heavily tax any good being traded (Yapp, 2017). The restricted trade along the Silk road continued until 1453, when the Ottoman Empire boycotted all forms of trade with China (Global Connections, 2016). Since Europe’s main trading partners were from Asia, many nations suffered a devastating economic blow at the decision to boycott trade with China. This left the Europeans with no choice but to find an alternate trade route to Asia.

Having control of the Silk Road likely became a priority for the Ottoman Empire because of the economic benefits. With the Silk Road, the Ottomans would be able to control trade and maximize profitability of all products moving along the road. Not only would this increase income, but it would place the Ottoman Empire at a significant advantage over any European nations relying on the Silk Road for trade and income. During this time period, money was associated with power, and the nation with the most capital would be viewed as the most powerful. For this reason, the Silk Road represented the single largest weight in the balance of power.

Ottoman Impact on European Nations

Many European nations were involved in trade with Asia, and they often used the Mediterranean Sea and the Silk road as their transport routes. Since the Ottoman Empire was the middle man in this situation, Europe could only trade with Asia if the Ottoman Empire was willing to allow them to. Europe’s economy relied heavily on trade with Asia, so they could not afford to lose any income in the event that the Ottomans were to restrict trade. This would place them at an extreme disadvantage both economically and militarily, because both material goods and new ideas traveled along the Silk Road.

Born in Porto, Portugal in 1394, Henry the Navigator was not really ever a sailor or a navigator. He took on the title of “navigator” because he sponsored many navigational voyages along the west coast of Africa. After the Ottoman Empire gained full control of the west entrance of the Silk road, Henry could likely sense that tensions were rising between the Ottoman Empire and China (Nathan, 1961). This likely caused him to design the caravel two years prior to the closing of the Silk road, just in time for Europe to capitalise on the new creation. In designing the carvel, Henry ensured that Portugal would have multiple open trade routes to Asia to maximise efficiency and reliability (Nathan, 1961). When Portugal adopted the caravel, they were able to negate any and all economic losses that the closing of the Silk road could bring.

Also, the military applications of the lateen sail rig meant that Portugal would be able to sail in any direction, to or from, in order to engage in a naval battle. Since the Mediterranean Sea would eventually become impassable, having the ability to sail in almost any wind conditions with a fast and highly-maneuverable ship was vital to the survival of European trade with Asia. Without the ability to continue trading with Asia, many European nations would have suffered terrible economic blows that could have altogether destroyed the economy (“The Legacy”, 2013). Fortunately, Henry the Navigator was wise enough to foresee the possible conflict between the Ottoman Empire and many European nations. Eventually, in a search for better and faster trade routes, the Age of Discovery would occur, beginning with Columbus’ discovery of the New World (Silk Road, 2017).

For most European nations, losing access to the Silk Road would mean a massive decline in international trade and overall income. Being able to maintain trade with other nations would be highly important, as most nations were not able to produce all the necessary products with materials native to their land. I argue that for this reason, the Ottoman Empires control of the Silk Road was a deciding factor in the collective decision of Europe to pursue alternate trade routes to India to maintain economic prosperity. Without the Silk Road, alternative means of trade would have to be developed, or Europe would face significant economic struggles.

The Caravel

In order to navigate the high seas in a manner that provides the sailor with the most control possible, one must be able to sail into virtually any wind direction and wind speed. Prior to the creation of the caravel, Europeans were limited by the size and mast configuration of the balinger. The balinger was a fragile cargo ship that was powered by a single mast with a fixed square sail (Caravel). Because it was relatively easy and inexpensive to construct, the balinger was the primary choice for most sailors. Unfortunately, the lack of adaptability of the balinger meant that sailors were often overcome by the wind, currents, and shoals of the Mediterranean Sea and, therefore were confined to mainly coastal navigation (Nathan, 1961).

This was perfectly fine, of course, for transporting goods within the Mediterranean Sea, but explorative travel through the Atlantic Ocean was nearly impossible (Keith, 1992). The confinement of coastal navigation using the balinger would prove to be harmful to European economies after the Ottoman Empire shut down the Silk road. If not for the creation of the caravel, it would have been nearly impossible for cargo ships to make the westward journey from Europe to Asia (Caravel). This was because, with the balinger, sailors had to sail with the wind currents to avoid stalling. Without the flexibility to adapt to wind conditions, the balinger’s mobility and application was greatly hindered (Carvel).

After careful observation of the flaws of the traditional balinger, Henry the Navigator of Portugal designed the caravel in 1451. His timing could not have been more perfect, as two years later, all European trade with Asia via the Silk road would be completely cut off by the Ottoman boycott of China (Keith, 1992). The boycott would prevent fruits and vegetables, livestock, grain, leather and hides, tools, religious objects, artwork, and precious stones and metals from being traded between Europe and Asia (Global Connections, 2016). This would not only cause a massive economic burden, the food and clothing supply for many people would be nearly cut off. The danger of losing out on all of these goods sparked Henry to design the caravel to give Portugal a competitive advantage in sailing South along the coast of Africa. This was not only for trade purposes, but would also pave the way for future exploratory voyages.

During this time period, the nation with the fastest and largest cargo ships would have the most power, so speed and adaptability were key factors in determining practicality (Global Connections, 2016). Since the Ottomans maintained the strongest trade connection with Asia, they essentially had a monopoly over all imports and exports in the area (Global Connections, 2016). The Ottomans were in complete control over who and what was traded, and could tax and regulate the terms of trade as they saw fit.

The biggest improvement of the caravel over the balinger were its lateen sails. The lateen sails were highly-adaptable triangular sails that made it possible to sail into the wind, while the balinger sails were large and cumbersome square sails that lacked mobility and adaptability. Since the Benguala Current, the main current along the coast of South Africa, blows from South to North, Henry wanted to ensure that his ships would be able sail into strong headwinds (Global Connections, 2016). The new design also increased the top speed of ships, while still allowing for more cargo space. Common caravels ranged from sixty to one hundred feet long, and had a larger hull than prior ship designs.

The marginally wider hull of the caravel accounted for the increase in cargo space. The larger hull not only housed the extra cargo space, but still allowed for a high level of maneuverability. This was made possible by the shallow depth of the rudder, a mere eighty feet below the surface (Keith, 1992). A shallow rudder makes for effortless handling decreased drag. All of these features, coupled with eager sailors, were viewed by Henry as the trade advantage that Portugal needed to maintain a superior economic standing during this competitive time period. Combined with the potential of exploration and discovery, it was an easy decision for most nations to adopt the caravel as their primary ship (Nathan, 1961) .

As spectacular as the caravel was, there were several significant drawbacks that made it extremely difficult to embark on long voyages of exploration along the South African coast. Since the lateen sail was highly maneuverable, it required a large crew that was highly trained and skilled to use and maintain. Having a large crew for an explorer was very difficult because each crew member needed fresh water that had to be stored in the cargo area (Nathan, 1961). Instead of being able to carry valuable cargo that would fetch a profit, much of the hull space was filled with water and food to feed the crew members.

Also, the areas in which the caravel sailed was very rocky and dangerous (Mikhail, 2012). This meant that having lighter ships would result in a less dangerous voyage, but at the expense of voyage duration and trade income. Although very agile, it was risky to send large crews on voyages on a caravel in dangerous waters (Isselhardt, 2016). Even with these drawbacks, Henry’s caravel remained the best option for exploring sailors during the 15th century. The caravel was seen as a major upgrade from all other ships, so it was a very easy decision for most nations to adopt the caravel as the primary ship of choice for both trade and exploration (Keith, 1992).

European Expansion

After the Ottoman Empire closed the Silk road to Asia and Henry the Navigator developed the caravel, most nations were provided with both the reasoning and ability to explore westward (Mead, 1990). This began with the Portuguese sailing south along the west coast of Africa in an attempt to find a new trade route to Asia (Isselhardt, 2016). The valuable fabrics, spices, and gold that had been stopped by the Ottoman Empire forced the Portuguese to look elsewhere for trade. Although the route along the African coast was very long and dangerous, the Portuguese were the only nation capable of sailing it because of their superior ship design and mathematical knowledge (Columbus, 2009).

Through their exploration of Africa, the Portuguese gained access to slaves, who would eventually be traded with other European nations (Isselhardt, 2016). The Portuguese went on to set up trade ports along the west coast of Africa in order to develop a more stable trade relationship. The economic gain of gold and precious spices from Africa gave them a severe advantage over the rest of Europe in terms of trade capabilities, that would eventually urge other nations to search for alternate trade routes rather than stay put (Rorke, 2006).

After watching Portugal get rich off of trade with Africa, other European nations began to organize voyages in hopes of finding great wealth and undiscovered land (Mead, 1990). Most importantly, Spain agreed to fund a voyage for Christopher Columbus to sail westward in an attempt to find a new way to get to Asia. After learning about the route around the southern tip of Africa, Columbus thought that it would be more efficient to sail directly westward to Asia (Columbus, 2009). His logic was sound, but his calculations about the true circumference of the earth was slightly off. After failing to find sympathy with England and Portugal, Columbus was able to convince the Spanish crown to fund his voyage. Columbus would set sail in 1492 with three ships loaded with enough supplies to last the voyage, and a total crew of roughly 90 men between the three ships (Mead, 1990).

After two and a half months at sea, Columbus and his crew finally made landfall in October of 1492. Unfortunately for him, he was in the Americas, not Asia, where he had intended to be. Columbus had landed on one of the Bahamian Islands in the Caribbean, and for months, he sailed around looking for the precious metals and stones that he had promised his crew members (Columbus, 1853). He quickly realized that there was not much wealth in this land, and returned to Spain leaving 40 men behind at a makeshift Hispaniola settlement.

Six months after his return to Spain, Columbus sailed back to the New World, but this time with slaves. When he arrived at the Hispaniola settlement, Columbus discovered that all his men were gone and the settlement had been destroyed (Columbus, 2009). He decided to leave his two brothers behind, along with parts of his crew and hundreds of native slaves, to rebuild the settlement while Columbus explored elsewhere. Columbus chose to sail west in an attempt to find the natural wealth that he believed Asia would bring him. After failing to discover any substantial goods, Columbus sent 500 slaves to Queen Isabella as a gift. The Queen was shocked, and returned the gift because she thought that all people discovered by Columbus were to be Spanish subjects who could not be enslaved (Columbus, 2009).

Columbus’ discovery of the new world is important because it represents the unforeseen conclusion to the lengthy quest for a new trade route to India. While Columbus intended to sail around the world an arrive in India, he inadvertently stumbled upon what would later become on of the most prosperous areas of the world. The Ottoman Empire’s control of the Silk Road not only forced Europe to seek a new trade route to India to avoid economic stagnation, but actually was a driving factor in European Expansion. Once Columbus landed in the New World, it would not be long until the New World would be colonized and considered the new frontier of the world. Without the closing of the Silk Road, I argue that the discovery of the New World have been significantly delayed.

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