Who Controlled Indian Ocean Trade?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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During the classical era (4th century BCE–3rd century CE), major empires involved in the Indian Ocean trade included

the Achaemenid Empire

in Persia (550–330 BCE), the Mauryan Empire in India (324–185 BCE), the Han Dynasty in China (202 BCE–220 CE), and the Roman Empire (33 BCE–476 CE) in the Mediterranean.

Which group dominated the Indian Ocean trade in the fifteenth century?

Why? Despite the diversity of peoples involved in the trade network,

Muslim merchants

dominate the Indian ocean trade. This is mostly because they had the money to build ships. Merchants were the main control of the trade and not political leaders because they knew the demands of the market.

Who dominated 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.

What did China trade on the Indian Ocean?

These included Kilwa, Sofala, Mombasa, Malindi, and others. The city-states traded with inland kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe to obtain

gold, ivory, and iron

. These materials were then sold to places like India, Southeast Asia, and China.

How did Islam affect Indian Ocean trade?

Muslims were known to have

a commercial talent notably encouraged by Islam

, as well as excellent sailing skills. Thus, they could monopolize the East-West trade of the maritime Silk Roads, connecting various major ports of eastern Asian regions together.

What impact did Islam have on trade in the Indian Ocean and why?

Islam affected commerce in the Indian Ocean world by

providing a uniting factor that facilitated trade

.

How long was the Indian Ocean trade route?

For

roughly 700 years

, trade goods from across the entire supercontinent of Afro-Eurasia passed through the Indian Ocean.

Who were the first to trade with India?

The correct answer is

Portuguese

. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India via the Atlantic Ocean at Calicut in India. Portuguese were followed by the Dutch when they tried to enter the Indian market in the middle of the 16th century.

Who is China’s largest trade partner?

Rank 1. Importer
United States
Exports from China (US$) $452,576,771,000 2019-20 +8.1%

Why did China stop trading in the Indian Ocean?

In addition to political motivation, the new emperor had financial motivation. The treasure fleet voyages cost Ming China

enormous amounts

of money; since they were not trade excursions, the government recovered little of the cost. … For all of these reasons, Ming China stopped sending out the magnificent Treasure Fleet.

Did China trade in the Indian Ocean?

China’s Ming Dynasty treasure ships realized trade networks and diplomatic missions as far as Africa and the Red Sea.

Why did Islam spread so quickly?

The religion of Islam spread rapidly in the 7th century. Islam spread quickly

because of the military

. During this time, on numerous accounts there were military raids. Trade and conflict were also apparent between different empires, all of which resulted in the spreading of Islam.

How did Islam spread into India?

Islam arrived in the inland of Indian subcontinent in the

7th century when the Arabs conquered Sindh

and later arrived in North India in the 12th century via the Ghurids conquest and has since become a part of India’s religious and cultural heritage.

How did Islam spread throughout the world?

Islam spread

through military conquest, trade, pilgrimage, and missionaries

. Arab Muslim forces conquered vast territories and built imperial structures over time. … The caliphate—a new Islamic political structure—evolved and became more sophisticated during the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.

How did Islam affect trade in the Middle East?

Another effect of the spread of Islam was an

increase in trade

. Unlike early Christianity, Muslims were not reluctant to engage in trade and profit; Muhammad himself was a merchant. As new areas were drawn into the orbit of Islamic civilization, the new religion provided merchants with a safe context for trade.

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.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.