The Iberian crusaderism and the end of Pax Islamica in the Indian Ocean
The Christian European corsairs andpirates cruised against Muslim sea merchants in the Indian Ocean with the spiritual blessing of the powerful churches in Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, England and France. Their conquests ofthe prosperous Muslim seaports in the Indian Ocean were authorized by the...
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| Format: | Conference or Workshop Item |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2009
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/13186/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/13186/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/13186/1/The_Iberian_Crusaderism_and_the_End_of_Pax_Islamica.pdf |
| Summary: | The Christian European corsairs andpirates cruised against Muslim sea merchants in the Indian
Ocean with the spiritual blessing of the powerful churches in Portugal, Spain, Netherlands,
England and France. Their conquests ofthe prosperous Muslim seaports in the Indian Ocean
were authorized by the royal courts ofthe new western powers and the militant religious orders
The Iberian sea rovers were formidable rogues of western Christendom waging the first
global naval anti-Islamic crusade in the new Era ofGunpowder. The commercial interests of
Islamic states were extensively damaged by Portuguese and Spanish intercontinental prowlers
who operatedfrom hidden harbors ofsmall oceanic islands located between the southern coasts of
Africa and Malay Archipelago. The Protestant English and Dutch 'Honourable and Grandest'
Companies ofEast India trading spices, emerged as the most powerful enterprises from the
oceanic war ofattrition against the equally acquisitive Portuguese, French and Spanish seafaring
'papists '. While he Malay sea trade and Gujarati costal trade suffered substantial loses, it was the
South Arabia which lost its dominant role in the oceanic commerce. Arabia Felix became 'Ireland'
of the Islamic South in the Golden Age ofEuropiracy.
The author examines the historical geography ofclash ofreligions and economies in the Maritime
Afrasia. |
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