What was the Muslim trade network?

The most famous trading network in history, the Silk Road, was suddenly almost entirely controlled by Muslim powers. After all, Islam had spread throughout the lands of Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, meaning that while the ethnic groups were the same, now they were Muslim.

What are two bodies of water the Muslim trade routes crossed?

Archaeologists have drawn attention to the value of material culture in documenting Byzantine and early Islamic trade networks. The Red Sea, for instance, has emerged as an important corridor for long-distance trade between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.

What countries did Islam trade with?

The expanse of the Islamic Empire allowed merchants to trade goods all the way from China to Europe. Many merchants became quite wealthy and powerful. Muslim trade routes extended throughout much of Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia (including China and India).

Why did Muslims dominate Indian Ocean trade?

But despite this diversity, for the most part, especially on the Western half of the Indian Ocean basin, the trade was dominated by Muslim merchants. Why? Largely because they had the money to build ships, although we will see that in the 15th century, the Chinese state could have changed that balance completely.

Who controlled Indian Ocean trade?

Portuguese government
The Portuguese government took immediate interest in the Swahili city-states. They sent more ships to the eastern coast of Africa with three goals: to take anything of value they could find, to force the kings of the city to pay taxes to Portuguese tax collectors, and to gain control over the entire Indian Ocean trade.

How did Islam affect trade in India?

After the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century, Islam started its expansion towards eastern regions through trade encouraged by the development of the maritime Silk Roads. Muslims were known to have a commercial talent notably encouraged by Islam, as well as excellent sailing skills.

Who were the Muslim merchants?

Muslim merchants known as the Kārimīs; the Mediterranean trade was left to European traders, whom the Mamluks allowed certain privileges in Alexandria.

What was the slave trade in the Muslim world?

The ‘Arab’ slave trade is sometimes called the ‘Islamic’ slave trade. Bernard Lewis writes that “polytheists and idolaters were seen primarily as sources of slaves, to be imported into the Islamic world and molded-in Islamic ways, and, since they possessed no religion of their own worth the mention, as natural recruits for Islam.”

What did the Muslims contribute to the world?

by publishing an early medical encyclopedia, creating the first school of pharmacy, and cataloging drugs and their effects Muslim architects built many beautiful mosques in which the people could worship. Muslim merchants set up successful trading colonies in China and India Muslim scholars contributed to the field of fine art with their skill in

How did Portugal contribute to the slave trade?

In addition to trading posts, Portugal established colonies on previously uninhabited Atlantic African islands that would later serve as collection points for captives and commodities to be shipped to Iberia, and eventually to the Americas.

Where did the Portuguese set up trading posts in Africa?

By 1445, a trading post was established on the small island of Arguim off the coast of present-day Mauritania. As Portuguese ships continued to explore African coastlines and rivers over the following decades, they established similar feitorias or trading “factories” with the goal of tapping into pre-existing local commercial networks.