Cross-cultural exchange was made easier by faster ships. The 1494 treaty of Tordesillas halved the world outside Europe between Portugal and Spain, and thus ships sailing to the East Indies left from Lisbon.
Places Narrative
Previous Slide
Next Slide
After rounding the Cape of Good Hope, merchant vessels replenished their stocks of fresh food and water at Mozambique harbor.
Portugal kept its trading empire connected with the strategic placement of fortress towns. Goa was its major base in the Indian Ocean.
There were many pirates sailing the waters of the rich Spice Islands, thus strategic towns like Malacca were central to keeping the waters safe.
We know now of such exchange because of the fact that letters and reports written by the Jesuit missionaries overseas were collected into books and journals back in Europe, including the famous China Illustrata. The letters back and forth brought together academics from other sides of the globe.
Once the Portuguese traders established their foothold in Macau in the mid-1550s, it became an important center for cross-cultural exchange and the Jesuits established colleges, churches and art workshops here.
The Jesuits believed that to have the greatest effect in China they needed to have the support of the Emperor. They thus set their sights on maintaining a base in Beijing.
The creation of the Dutch East Indies Company in 1602 quickly challenged the monopolies enjoyed by the Iberian traders. Dutch merchants soon built strong bases in Nagasaki and Batavia.
Missionaries in Asia sent back much information to printers in Europe, especially Paris, who eagerly turned these letters into books and atlases.
The Jesuits needed to convince their superiors in Rome that they were building a new church in Asia, and not just translating Chinese classics and Japanese scrolls.