Until the discovery of America, Spain had lived a completely domestic life. The battle against the Moors had engaged it as well as the forces and attention of Portugal. When the world suddenly opened up to them as wonderful, new and rich as an oriental fairy tale, the exotic charm of the whole nation took over. The lushness and splendor of the tropical world and the hope of fabulous treasures attracted this people, who had been at home for so long, with an unspeakable force. Hundreds and thousands sailed to the New World in search of their fortune, and were not daunted by the hideous manhood that this charming, but under its magnificent shell, Cunning nature demanded. The loss of men that the Spaniards in the New World suffered through battles was insignificant, but the hecatombs of disease and shipwrecks were immense. Migration was so great, that the Venetian ambassador in the mid-sixteenth century wrote to his hometown Seville that there are not many more than women in Seville — all who could nail their nails had gone overseas after the conquest of Mexico and Peru, most of them to stay there. The entire vast continent had received its new white population, but the young motherland had lost its best forces before its manhood. In the beginning, however, these dangers were not even foreseen in both countries of the Iberian Peninsula, but everyone was overcome by the intoxication of exhilaration. So great riches were alluring, so great fortunes indeed were often acquired through a single excursion, that the golden mirage seemed to everyone to have turned into a golden reality.
The Spaniards who moved to the New World, those who were not needed to take care of the posts, devoted all their strength to the mining industry. Economic relations between the colonies and the mother country were based on it. All industrial products had to be imported from Spain, even grain and other foodstuffs in other places. Both the olive tree and the vine were indeed planted in South America and the West Indies in the early days, but then their cultivation was prevented so that the emigrants had to buy these products from Spain as well. The production of certain products was completely prohibited in the colonies, so that the Spanish merchants had the exclusive right to purchase them and that there was more labor for the mines.
In order to comply with these restrictions and ensure trade security, trade in the colonies was completely placed under the auspices of the government. As early as 1503, a special agency was established in Seville for that purpose, and the entire colonial trade had to take place through it. For each type of goods, there was a special goods shelter in the port cities, where the government's commercial agent, treasurer and secretary accurately recorded the goods, and supervised the unloading and loading of the ship. For better security against pirates, the ship had to sail at set times and with a large number of people. Two fleets of fifteen ships a year left Seville for Vera Cruz, and twice a year a fleet of twelve ships went to Porto Bello. Under Philip II the number of ships was increased, so that the fleet of Vera Cruz numbered sixty, Porto Bello's fleet again has forty ships. Both of these ports had authorities whose duty it was to distribute the goods to the consumers according to the importance of each place and to assemble the metal cargo to be sent home. The Mexican market was not held in Vera Cruz, because this port city was very hot and unhealthy, but in Jalapa. But the Peruvian and Chilean markets were held at Porto Bello on the Isthmus of Panama, despite the unhealthy environment. In both places, the market lasted forty days. The ship's captains deliver their cargo to the local lords or their subordinate officials. The prices were usually set in such a way that the captains won from one hundred to three hundred percent. Local landlords and officials could then take whatever they wanted from consumers.
Devoting all their energies to the mining industry, the Spanish obtained an excellent and abundant booty from the mines, especially silver. From 1492 to 1500, an average of 1 3/4 million marks worth of precious metals was imported into Spain annually, but from 1500 to 1545 the import was 15 million per year. When the mines of Potos were discovered in 1545 and better methods were used in the mines of Mexico, the annual production rose to 55 million marks. It has been calculated that from the discovery of America to the end of the sixteenth century, a total of 3,715 million marks worth of precious metals were brought to Europe, mainly through Spain, and through that, our continent's metal stock grew five times larger in one century.
The directionless increase of capital in such a short time could not fail to have a revolutionary effect on economic conditions.
At first, of course, the increase in money had the effect that expensive products began to flow into Spain from different places, because Spain had plenty of money to pay. We started importing even more woolen fabrics, paltins, velvets, metal works, works of art, etc. from the East, Italy. From the Netherlands, England and France. On the other hand, Spanish industry and agriculture received a great stimulus from the fact that the turnover through the colonies had become much greater than before. Spain's wool industry, silk, metal and leather industries got to an excellent pace and foreigners, both German and Italian, arrived in Spain to revive the industry. However, this recovery was not permanent. Precious metals arrived in the country in such abundance that the prices gradually rose much higher than before, in other words, an expensive time began. When the Spanish government did not yet understand the reasons for the increase in prices, in order to monitor the interests of consumers, it confirmed the highest prices for many products, prohibited the export of others and otherwise restricted the domestic industry, which suffered from these restrictions. Foreign wars also damaged agriculture, industry and trade. After the gold rush, the »silver rush« spread to all strata of the population, diluting more and more the hobby of native professions, even though they were the foundation of the country's permanent success. Economic decline was also promoted by the persecution of the Moors, as the Moors were Spain's best artisans and farmers. Agriculture, domestic mining and other branches of industry declined to the extent that Spain eventually had to buy almost all of its needs from abroad, even some of their groceries. The immense metal resources that were obtained from the colonies therefore did not stay in Spain, but soon flowed away to other more active countries, to increase their national wealth.
The high cost of industrial goods in the colonies attracted English and Dutch smugglers, and the wealth of precious metals attracted thousands of pirates. English. The competition between Holland and France that started in this way then led to open wars, through which the sea power of both Spain and Portugal was broken.
The Old and New World naturally influenced each other in many ways. Portugal operated in countries where, from their old age, trade with an excellent product range had already developed into certain forms, Spain, on the other hand, in new countries whose natural wealth and trade were just being developed, from which at first, apart from precious metals, it was not possible to get much else but valuable species of wood and many other products of the plant kingdom . Between the East Indies and the West Indies, a peculiar interplay arose: the East Indies. which had already drawn metals from Europe since Roman times (Maant. ja löytör. I, p. 127), did not give them now either, but valuable natural and industrial products. The West Indies provided the metals with which these products could be purchased in even greater quantities. The East Indies got a price for their goods, The West Indies just had to give up their wealth without getting much of anything in return. The exchange of animals and crops useful to both the New and the Old World brought lasting benefit. In this respect, the New World benefited more than the Old. But many useful crops of great importance came to Europe from overseas, to mention only the potato, corn, cassava, sweet potato, Spanish pepper, tobacco, cocoa, coca and Paraguayan tea. Both Americas got most of the grains. sugarcane and coffee and the most important domestic animals, without mentioning others. The exchange of species continues even today, as Europe has started to introduce valuable American tree species into its soil, if they thrive in our climate. The exchange of animals and crops useful to both the New and the Old World brought lasting benefits. In this respect, the New World benefited more than the Old. But many useful crops of great importance came to Europe from overseas, to mention only the potato, corn, cassava, sweet potato, Spanish pepper, tobacco, cocoa, coca and Paraguayan tea. Both Americas got most of the grains. sugarcane and coffee and the most important domestic animals, without mentioning others. The exchange of species continues even today, as Europe has started to introduce valuable American tree species into its soil, if they thrive in our climate. The exchange of animals and crops useful to both the New and the Old World brought lasting benefits. In this respect, the New World benefited more than the Old. But many useful crops of great importance came to Europe from overseas, to mention only the potato, corn, cassava, sweet potato, Spanish pepper, tobacco, cocoa, coca and Paraguayan tea. Both Americas got most of the grains. sugarcane and coffee and the most important domestic animals, without mentioning others. The exchange of species continues even today, as Europe has started to introduce valuable American tree species into its soil, if they thrive in our climate. cocoa, coca and Paraguay tea. Both Americas got most of the grains. sugarcane and coffee and the most important domestic animals, without mentioning others. The exchange of species continues even today, as Europe has started to introduce valuable American tree species into its soil, if they thrive in our climate. cocoa, coca and Paraguay tea. Both Americas got most of the grains. sugarcane and coffee and the most important domestic animals, without mentioning others. The exchange of species continues even today, as Europe has started to introduce valuable American tree species into its soil, if they thrive in our climate.
NORTHERN LANDS. NORTHERN SAILORS.
John Cabot's Voyage to North America.
King Henry VII of England had considered the journey to India via the West such a ridiculous whim that Bartolomeo Colombo, depressed by the king's taunts, left England and went to France to present his brother's intention. But when the news about Columbus's happy return and the discovery of lands thought to be India spread around the world, it made a deep impression in England too, and the king decided to be wiser the next time someone came to offer him a similar opportunity to expand his power and trade. It didn't take long to wait. Already a few years later, John Cabot, with the help of the English government, set off across the Atlantic to look for a more northerly route to India than the one Columbus supposedly found. Cabot seems to have independently planned his journey.
John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) was a Genoese by birth, as was Columbus, but he had moved to live in Venice and made extensive trading trips from there. He went on a trip to Mecca, which at that time was the main trading center of the East, and heard there that the expensive goods of the East, silks, jewels and gold, arrived there across the country from Northeast Asia. Cabot knew that the earth was probably spherical, and from this he said that it occurred to him that perhaps East Asia could be sailed from the west across the Atlantic Ocean. With these thoughts in mind, he moved with his family to England in 1484, perhaps choosing England because, according to his calculations, it was near Northeast Asia. He settled in the city of Bristol, which at that time was the most important trading city in England after London. From Bristol, even before his arrival, expeditions had been made to unknown parts of the Atlantic, and searches had been made for St. Brandan and other islands which haunted the maps. John Cabot was in every way in favor of these expeditions, adding Antilles, Brazil and the "Island of the Seven Cities" to the list of those to be sought. After 1491 Bristol merchants sent ships every year on these voyages of discovery. as can be seen from the diplomatic documents of the time. The Spanish ambassador wrote to his king in 1498: "For seven years, the people of Bristol have every year sent two, three or four caravels to search for Brazil and the 'Seven Cities' according to the instructions of this Genoese (Cabot)". When Columbus's discovery in the summer of 1493 became known, Cabot asked the king for support for an expedition to the "Great Land", and this time Henry VII inclined his ear to the request. Cabot, together with his three sons, received permission to go under the protection of England to search for new lands in the western sea, but he had to equip the expedition himself.
John Cabot was without provisions and could only take one very small ship and eighteen men for this first voyage. 2 p. May 1497 »Mathiew» set off, sailing first towards the north and then towards the west. The winds were mostly contrary, however, for Cabot was in the westerly zone of the Atlantic, and he got wind long before he got across the sea. After traveling for 52 days, we finally reached the 24th day of summer. probably to the island of Breton, the northern part of Nova Scotia, the same areas where the Icelandic Vikings already settled half a thousand years earlier. Ceremonially, Cabot took possession of this land from King Henry VII. When it was fertile and the climate mild, he was assured of his arrival in Northeast Asia. that's where the jewels and silk fabrics seen in Mecca had come from. After taking on timber and water, Cabot, in a more hasty manner, set out on the return journey, and as he sailed by saw Newfoundland. The return trip went faster as the winds were fair and gusty, and on August 6 Cabot again anchored in Bristol harbor. He ran straight to the court and received a very favorable reception. A cash gift of £10 and a pension of £20 for having "discovered a new island". Cabot claimed that he was 700 leagues [League , French liene , Spanish Legua varied a lot in different countries and at different times, from 3.9 to 7.4 kilometers. The old Spanish Legua was 4.23 kilom., the current English one. land league 4.83, sea league 5.56 kilometers. If we place the last-mentioned value in Cabot's travelogue, we get 700 x 5.56 = 3.892 kilometers, which roughly corresponds to the distance from Bristol to the coast of Nova Scotia.] The land of the Great Khan found west of Ireland. Although both Brazilwood and silk were available there, he intended on his next journey to go south along the coast to Cipangu (Japan), which he thought was in the equatorial regions, because there was gold there.
The information about Cabot's travels that has survived for the posterity is very scarce, but the brave sailor does not seem to have spared his words. When he returned to England, he was the hero of the day, as can be seen from a letter written by a Venetian from London: »His name is Zuan Cabot, and he is called 'the great admiral' here. Great honor is shown to him, he goes around dressed in silk, and these Englishmen run like mad after him.» The king's prize money seems rather meager, but Henry VII was a squire, and besides, the said 10 pounds was only given so that Cabot could have fun after the hardships of the journey. Cabot had fun and promised his acquaintances the lands of the Great Khan, whose wealth from Marco Polo's stories still lingered in everyone's mind. A Burgundian with whom she dated was to have an island, the other of a few Genoese friends. The two poor monks who were to join the next expedition were promised a diocese each. The merchants of Bristol were excited, they all wanted to trade in Kambaluk (Beijing), where, according to Marco Polo's account, almost a thousand loads of silk cloth were brought every day. The king promised ships for the next trip to sail to the golden land of Cipangu. Although Spain, through its ambassador, objected to such trips to its hemisphere, England did not care about the objections, even though it was still loyal to the papacy at the time. everyone wanted to trade in Kambaluk (Beijing), where, according to Marco Polo's account, almost a thousand loads of silk cloth were brought every day. The king promised ships for the next trip to sail to the golden land of Cipangu. Although Spain, through its ambassador, objected to such trips to its hemisphere, England did not care about the objections, even though it was still loyal to the papacy at the time. everyone wanted to trade in Kambaluk (Beijing), where, according to Marco Polo's account, almost a thousand loads of silk cloth were brought every day. The king promised ships for the next trip to sail to the golden land of Cipangu. Although Spain, through its ambassador, objected to such trips to its hemisphere, England did not care about the objections, even though it was still loyal to the papacy at the time.
Cabot therefore began to equip his second expedition much more thoroughly than the first. After receiving all the powers from the king in February 1498, he traveled to Lisbon and Seville to hire with him men who had sailed along the west coast of Africa with Cão and Diaz and accompanied Columbus to India. In Lisbon he met a man named João Fernandes, nicknamed Lavrador; this seems to have traveled from Iceland to Greenland around 1492. After hearing from him that Greenland, thought to be Asia, was so close to Iceland, Cabot decided to sail through Greenland. The expedition, which consisted of two ships and 300 men, set out from Bristol in the early days of May in 1498. In the same group, several ships that used to trade in Iceland left. At the beginning of June, we reached the coast of Greenland, and because Fernandes had told Cabot about this land, Cabot named it »Labrador Land«. However, the information about the trip is so sparse that probably nothing else is known, other than that John Cabot really went on his second trip in the mentioned year. It is difficult to explain why there is no mention of John Cabot. But of course he found no land of the Great Khan, no more than Cipangua, no gold, no spices, no jewels. The elder Cabot's son Sebastian was, so some think, on the expedition, and from what he mentioned to the scholars and writers of his time, others have created a complete picture of it. According to this, John Cabot's second voyage would have taken place as follows: He followed the coast of Greenland towards the north, but when the frost reached, the icebergs began to rise and even the coast turned to the east, so he, after reaching 67° 30' N., turned back; it was an outright compulsion, as the crew refused to sail further in that direction. Cabot returned by the same route, sailing south of Greenland to Davis Strait and across it probably to Baffin's Land. Mistaking it for the continent of Asia, he perhaps headed south in search of Cipangu, trading on the coast of Labrador with the Indians, who, however, had no wealth but skins. Following the coast of Newfoundland, he arrived at Cape Breton, where he had visited on his previous voyage, and from there sailed further south as far as the 38th degree of latitude, near the present Cape Hatteras, but finding no signs of the riches and fine manufactures of Eastern Asia, he had to return empty-handed . On returning to Bristol, so those persons to whom the king had lent money for the journey were able to repay their debts. John Cabot soon after died. Based on Cabot's discoveries, England then established its ownership of the west coast of North America.
Nansen, who has last studied this confused information, concludes that John Cabot did not return from his second expedition, and that his son Sebastian was not with him on either. But in the years that followed, several other expeditions left England for the same regions. and these visited Greenland, Newfoundland, and Labrador. The guides were Portuguese from the Azores islands. As for Sebastian Cabot's travels, Nansen considers him a liar who told Petrus Martyr and other contemporaries his own travels of others. He himself is not known to have done anything in the northern waters. English scholars do not criticize him so harshly, and whatever his real merits may have been, he undoubtedly became a much more famous man than his father was. We therefore mention his later stages in this context.
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