Columbus, the Ottomans and the New World

This episode presents a fantastic rebuttal to a Eurocentric view of 16th century geopolitical affairs, and astutely notes the forceful impact of the reality of Ottoman territory at the crux of global trade. The Ottomans inherited remarkable control of transcontinental trade routes, and had substantial influence over the flow of goods in and out of Europe. This pressured Western European powers, in particular, to find alternate routes to the riches in Asia. European monarchs poured enormous sums of money into explorations to find such a passage, Columbus’ being the most famous. Yet, as this group illustrates, the historical narrative often neglects to recognize the credit that is due to the Ottomans in driving the European movement to the Americas. 

Researchers and Hosts

Alexa Lombardi, Victoria Miller, William Murphy, and Emily Popielic.

Image

The Book of Navigation, The Walters Art Museum, ms W658. f.319a.

Bibliography

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