Roger Crowley's 'Spice' Examines 16th-Century Iberian Rivalry as Origin of Globalization

In 'Spice: The 16th-Century Contest that Shaped the Modern World,' Roger Crowley delves into the rivalry between Portugal and Spain for the spice islands of Southeast Asia from 1511 to 1571, which laid the groundwork for global trade networks. Released by Yale University Press, the book details the Portuguese discovery of the Maluku Islands in 1511, the sole source of cloves, nutmeg, and mace, which were sold in Europe at a staggering 1,000 percent markup. Following Spain's conquest of Manila in 1571, the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas allocated non-European territories. The narrative also recounts Ferdinand Magellan's death in the Philippines in 1521 and the Spanish king's 1530 sale of his Maluku claim to Portugal, signaling the dawn of globalization.