European commerce remained unchanged. America had not been discovered, and

the only known route to India was by land.

Venice, enthroned by her central position as queen of commerce, compelled

the nations of Europe and Asia to convey to her port all the riches of the

world.

One single city, Bruges in Flanders, serving as an international mart for

the people of the North and South, shared, in some measure, the commercial

prosperity of Venice; but popular insurrections and continual civil wars

had induced a large number of foreign merchants to prefer Brabant to

Flanders, and Antwerp was becoming a powerful rival to Bruges.

At this period two great events occurred, by which a new channel was

opened to trade: Christopher Columbus discovered America, and Vasco de

Gama, by doubling the Cape of Good Hope, pointed out a new route to India.

This latter discovery, by presenting another grand highway to the world,

deprived Venice of the peculiar advantages of her situation, and obliged

commerce to seek a new emporium. Portugal and Spain were the most powerful

nations on sea; countless ships left their ports for the two Indies, and

brought back spices, pearls, and the precious metals for distribution

throughout the Old World. This commercial activity required an emporium in

the centre of Europe, halfway between the North and the South, whither

Spaniards, Portuguese, and Italians, as well as French, English, Germans,

Swedes, and Russians, could resort with equal facility as to a perpetual

mart for all the commodities exchanged between the Old and the New

World.[1] A few years before the commencement of the religious wars which proved so

disastrous to the country, Antwerp was in a most flourishing condition.

Thousands of ships of every form and size covered its broad river like a

forest of masts, whose many-colored flags indicated the presence of

traders from all the commercial nations of the globe.

Portuguese gallions carried thither the gems and spices of the East;

Spanish gallions the gold and silver of America; Italian vessels were

laden with the delicate fruits and rich stuffs of the Southern countries;

German vessels with grains and metals; and all returned to their own

countries heavily freighted with other merchandise, and made way for the

ships which were continually arriving, and which, according to

contemporary chronicles, were often obliged to wait six weeks before they

succeeded in approaching the wharf.[2] Small craft, such as hers, ascended the Scheldt, and even ventured out

to sea in order to trade with the neighboring people. Transportation into

the interior of the country was effected by means of very strong wagons,

several hundred of which daily left Antwerp. The heavy vehicles which

conveyed merchandise through Cologne to the heart of Germany were called

Hessenwagens.[3] This extraordinary activity induced many foreigners to establish

themselves in a city where gold was so abundant, and where every one might

reasonably hope for large profits.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024