Glossary
Arab Migration
The historical movement of Arab peoples, particularly associated with the spread of Islam from the Arabian Peninsula.
Example:
The Arab Migration following the early Islamic conquests led to the widespread dissemination of the Arabic language, Islamic faith, and cultural practices across North Africa and the Middle East.
Astrolabe
An ancient astronomical instrument used by navigators to determine latitude by observing the positions of celestial bodies.
Example:
Arab mariners used the astrolabe to accurately plot their courses across the Indian Ocean, greatly improving the safety and efficiency of sea travel.
Bantu Migration
A series of migrations of Bantu-speaking peoples from West Africa across sub-Saharan Africa over several millennia.
Example:
The Bantu Migration spread agricultural techniques, ironworking, and new languages across much of Africa, profoundly shaping the continent's demographics and cultures.
Bubonic Plague (Black Death)
A devastating pandemic that spread across Afro-Eurasia in the 14th century, primarily along trade routes, causing widespread death and societal disruption.
Example:
The Bubonic Plague decimated populations in Europe, leading to labor shortages, social unrest, and significant long-term economic changes.
Caravanserai
Roadside inns or rest stops along major trade routes, providing lodging, food, and water for travelers and their animals.
Example:
Merchants traveling the Silk Roads relied on caravanserai for safe havens and places to resupply, making long-distance journeys more feasible.
Champa Rice
A fast-ripening and drought-resistant variety of rice introduced to China from Vietnam, significantly boosting agricultural output.
Example:
The adoption of Champa Rice allowed Chinese farmers to harvest two crops per year, supporting a massive population increase during the Song Dynasty.
Classical Era
A historical period from roughly 600 BCE to 600 CE, characterized by the rise and fall of major empires and the establishment of early trade networks.
Example:
During the Classical Era, the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China were powerful entities that engaged in long-distance trade, though less extensive than later periods.
Commercial Technologies
Innovations and tools that facilitate trade and economic activity, such as navigational instruments, shipbuilding techniques, and financial systems.
Example:
The development of new commercial technologies like the compass and caravanserai significantly boosted the efficiency and scale of Afro-Eurasian trade.
Compass
A navigational instrument that shows direction relative to the Earth's magnetic poles, first developed in China.
Example:
The invention of the compass allowed sailors to navigate reliably even on cloudy days or open seas, reducing reliance on coastal landmarks.
Crusades
A series of religious wars initiated by Latin Christians in the medieval period, primarily aimed at recovering the Holy Land from Islamic rule.
Example:
While primarily religious conflicts, the Crusades also stimulated trade between Europe and the Middle East, introducing new goods and ideas to the West.
Dhows
Traditional sailing vessels with distinctive triangular sails, widely used by merchants in the Indian Ocean trade.
Example:
The lateen sails of dhows allowed them to efficiently navigate the monsoon winds, making long-distance voyages across the Indian Ocean feasible.
Grand Canals
An extensive system of artificial waterways in China, primarily built to facilitate internal trade and transport of goods like grain.
Example:
The Grand Canals connected different regions of China, allowing agricultural products from the south to reach the northern capitals, boosting internal commerce.
Gunpowder
An explosive chemical mixture invented in China, initially used for fireworks and later for military weapons.
Example:
The spread of gunpowder technology from China along the Silk Roads eventually revolutionized warfare in Afro-Eurasia, leading to the development of cannons and firearms.
Hanseatic League
A powerful medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe.
Example:
The Hanseatic League dominated trade in the Baltic and North Seas, protecting its members' commercial interests and establishing common trade practices.
Ibn Battuta
A Moroccan Muslim scholar and explorer who traveled extensively across Afro-Eurasia in the 14th century, documenting his journeys.
Example:
Ibn Battuta's detailed travelogues provide invaluable insights into the diverse cultures, economies, and religious practices of the Islamic world and beyond.
Inca Road System
An extensive and advanced network of roads and bridges built by the Inca Empire in the Andes Mountains of South America.
Example:
The Inca Road System facilitated rapid communication and troop movement throughout the vast empire, though it was not primarily for long-distance commercial trade like Afro-Eurasian routes.
Indian Ocean Trade Routes
A vast network of sea lanes connecting East Africa, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, heavily reliant on monsoon winds.
Example:
A Swahili merchant on the Indian Ocean Trade Routes might have traded gold and ivory from Africa for textiles from India and porcelain from China.
Junks
Large, flat-bottomed sailing ships developed in China, known for their multiple masts and watertight compartments.
Example:
Zheng He's massive treasure ships were a type of junks, demonstrating advanced Chinese shipbuilding technology.
Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage
The famous journey of the Mali Empire's emperor, Mansa Musa, to Mecca in 1324 CE, showcasing the immense wealth of West Africa.
Example:
Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca, with his lavish display of gold, brought the Mali Empire to the attention of the wider Islamic and European worlds.
Marco Polo
A Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled to China in the 13th century and served in the court of Kublai Khan.
Example:
Marco Polo's accounts of his travels to the Mongol Empire introduced Europeans to the wonders and wealth of the East, inspiring future exploration.
Mongols sack Baghdad
The destruction of Baghdad by the Mongol forces in 1258 CE, marking the end of the Abbasid Caliphate and a significant blow to Islamic civilization.
Example:
The Mongols sack Baghdad symbolized the decline of the Abbasid Golden Age and reshaped the political landscape of the Middle East.
Ottoman Empire
A powerful Turkish empire that emerged in Anatolia in the late 13th century and eventually controlled much of Southeast Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Example:
The rise of the Ottoman Empire eventually led to new trade dynamics in the Mediterranean and Middle East, influencing European exploration for new routes.
Paper Money
A form of currency developed in China during the Song Dynasty, representing a promise to pay a fixed amount of gold or silver.
Example:
Marco Polo was astonished to see the widespread use of paper money in Yuan Dynasty China, a concept largely unknown in Europe at the time.
Pax Mongolica
A period of relative peace and stability across the vast Mongol Empire in the 13th and 14th centuries, facilitating increased trade and communication.
Example:
Under the Pax Mongolica, merchants and travelers like Marco Polo could traverse the Silk Roads with unprecedented safety, leading to a boom in cultural exchange.
Polynesian Migration
The expansion of Polynesian peoples across the Pacific Ocean, settling islands from Hawaii to New Zealand.
Example:
The Polynesian Migration involved incredible feats of navigation, as islanders used sophisticated knowledge of stars and currents to colonize vast stretches of the Pacific.
Post-Classical Era
A historical period from roughly 600 CE to 1450 CE, marked by the expansion and intensification of global trade networks and cultural exchange.
Example:
The Post-Classical Era saw the flourishing of Islamic empires, which played a crucial role in connecting and expanding existing trade routes across Afro-Eurasia.
Proselytization
The act of actively attempting to convert individuals from one religion or belief to another.
Example:
Missionaries traveling along trade routes engaged in proselytization, leading to the spread of religions like Buddhism and Islam into new territories.
Samarkand
A prominent city along the Silk Roads in Central Asia, known for its strategic location and role as a cultural and commercial crossroads.
Example:
Travelers passing through Samarkand would encounter a diverse array of merchants, scholars, and artisans, reflecting its cosmopolitan nature.
Silk Roads
An ancient network of land and sea trade routes connecting East Asia, Southeast Asia, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, and Southern Europe.
Example:
Merchants traveling the Silk Roads might have exchanged Chinese silk for Roman glass beads, facilitating cultural diffusion across vast distances.
Swahili Coast
A region along the East African coast that became a thriving commercial hub due to its participation in the Indian Ocean trade.
Example:
Cities like Kilwa and Mombasa on the Swahili Coast grew wealthy by exporting gold, ivory, and enslaved people in exchange for goods from Asia.
Timbuktu
A major trade city in the Mali Empire, located on the Trans-Saharan trade routes, famous for its wealth and Islamic scholarship.
Example:
Caravans laden with salt from the north and gold from the south converged in Timbuktu, making it a vibrant center of commerce and learning.
Trans-Saharan Trade Routes
Trade routes across the Sahara Desert connecting West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean world.
Example:
The wealth of the Mali Empire, particularly its gold, was largely built upon its control and taxation of the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes.
Turk Migration
The historical movement of Turkic peoples from Central Asia into various regions, including the Middle East, Anatolia, and Europe.
Example:
The Turk Migration led to the establishment of powerful empires like the Seljuks and Ottomans, significantly impacting the political and cultural landscape of the Middle East.
Zheng He’s voyages
A series of seven maritime expeditions led by the Chinese admiral Zheng He between 1405 and 1433 CE, exploring the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Example:
Zheng He’s voyages demonstrated China's naval power and technological prowess, establishing tributary relationships and expanding trade networks.