Exploration and Conquest in the Age of Reconnaissance - Essay Example

Exploration and conquest in the age of Reconnaissance Introduction The Age of the Reconnaissance has been described in varied ways by a number of authors. In general it is presented as the period when the various parts that constitute the world came into being. However, Parry talks about the period in terms of the explorations and the explorations, discoveries and the settlements that took place. In particular, he describes it as the period when the Europeans discovered the rest of the world. As he indicates, this process began with Henry who was a navigator and the Portuguese voyages. This took place during the middle of the fifteenth century. It took place for 250 years and only came to an end during the completion of the reconnaissance. In this sense, there are various factors that are considered important in the contribution of the events of this period. These include the political, economic, and religious elements that contributed to the overseas enterprises that were available at the time. In this sense, they lead to the analysis of the nature and the problems that were faced by the various European settlements in the new lands. Chapter 8 1. The exploration of the West African Coast was a preliminary of the rehearsal to open the Indian trade forty many years after the death of the Prince (131). 2. The treaty of Alcacovas refers to the agreement that followed the withdrawal of all the claims made by the Portuguese in Castille and thus ended the war in 1479 (134). It was the first of the many series of European treaties which regulated the colonial spheres of influence. In this respect, it was a sign of the diplomatic triumph made by the Portuguese (135). The terms of agreement in this treaty were based on the idea that related to the overseas trade and the different settlement that were favorable for the Portuguese (134). 3. Bartolomeu Dias is the person who succeeded Cao and was equally capable to the task. He is significant because he is the one who provisions the caravels from the store ship. Despite the heavy currents, he was not persuaded to turn back. He eventually started the place known as Point Dias. With this, he was not only able to discobver the way to India but also some of the important rulers on how to get there while under sail (136). 4. The Dias voyage was not immediately followed up by another voyage around Africa owing to the fact that Africa copuld not be circumnavigated. It also required them to be bold and to have a few friends from Africa (138). They considered the account of coasting by Dias discouraging and did not want to attempt (139). Chapter 9 1. Columbus came to the conclusion that he could reach Asia from Europe by using the money given to him to man the ships with reliable crew and well experienced and capable officers (148). 2. When Columbus returned, the Spanish monarchs returned to the Pope for help due to the need for papal support for the monopoly of navigation in order to forestall objections by the Portuguese and make it possible to prepare for the second voyage by Columbus. They also wanted to have a monopoly of the settlements that Columbus had discovered in the seas and in the land (151). 3. In turn, the Pope who was fully in support issued a series of four bulls. Each of these was to successively strengthen and extend the provisions of those that preceded. This was in accordance to the successive demands that were made by Isabella and Ferdinand as directed by Columbus. The first two were to grant sovereigns the land discovered, while the third drew an imaginary boundary line from North to south whereas the fourth extended the previous grants to include all the islands and the mainland (151). 4. The Portuguese responded by using all the resources of diplomacy and geographical reasoning to counter the effects of Dudum siquidem since they could not go to war. From this, John II achieved the ability to open direct negotiations with Ferdinand and Isabella and had the boundary line moved to 270 leagues further west in order to protect his interests in Africa (151). 5. The immediate objective of Columbus second voyage was the refusal to open a new trade or to conquer the oriental kingdoms. Instead, it was to settle in the Island of Hispaniola and find a mining and farming colony to produce its own food (152). 6. Columbus believed that he landed in Asia (150). In the same way, the other Europeans also believed this. 7. John Cabot is an Italian who had recently settled in Bristol. He is significant because he made voyages in search of the Atlantic islands where he was able to find the Newfoundland (154). 8. Amerigo Vespucci who was the writer whose contributions through the presented manuscripts were purported to form part of the Paesi is significant because of his description of the four voyages that were said to form the new world (156). He was also a businessman and an explorer who used his sound geographical knowledge and judgment to make extensive discoveries. Through his voyages, he was also able to cover the Atlantic Coast of South America and reveal the continuity of the vast size of the continent. 9. Ferdinand Margelun was the Portuguese who extended the explorations of Cabot and is significant because he was involved in the exploration of the Moluccas. His main goal was to discover the rich islands in the East within the Spanish demarcation. Thus, he sailed for Spanish (160). 10. The treaty of Zaragoza (1529) was the agreement that marked the end of a chapter in the quest for discovery (162). 11. The result of the discovery of Magellan’s strait was the continual attempt to seek the western passage round it. This made it easier to carry tools and materials around (158). Chapter 12 1. The Portuguese were able to dominate the eastern trade routes for a hundred years by securing fortified bases and a place in eastern commerce for the first two decades of the sixteenth century through the use of naval force (190). 2. Sir Francis Drake was a sailor who wanted to make discoveries of the areas around the Straits. His main mission was to open a trans-pacific route to Asia in search of Terra Australis and he was involved in the five ship voyage through which he broke up his store ships. He passed the strait and explored the west coast of Tierra del Fuego. He was convinced that there was no crossing of the Pacific from the east to the West. He found the Moluccas loaded with spices at Ternate and followed the tracks of del Canos back to Europe where he arrived with one ship (193). 3. The Dutch were able to challenge the Portuguese through the setting about to capture the eastern trade in a fashion that was more thorough and on a larger scale. They also had a lot of information on the Portuguese shipping routes in the East. As such, they not only distributed spices but also provided capital to build ships (198). 4. Jan Pieterszoon Coen was a far sighted seaman. He is significant because he was able to establish at Batavia, which was a fortified base to the windward of Goa and Malacca. It made it possible for the Dutch fleets to have a permanent strategic initiative. 5. The Dutch set up a colony at the cape in South Africa (1652) for the convenience of the trade that took part between South East Asia and Europe that stretched from Batavia to the Cape South of the equator. Chapter 19 1. The problem that was created by the European empires overseas included those of administration as well as those related to political theory (303). 2. In the sixteenth century, it was Spain that led the rest of Europe in law, jurisprudence and governance (303). 3. The Spanish crown officially based its rights to rule the Indies on their legislation and lack of restriction in its sphere of action. However, it was restricted in its exercise of power in relation to the man made laws and customs of the subjects. These were based on the bulls of 1493 and especially the Inter Caetera, which granted islands and mainland towards the West and South to Spain with all the rights in jurisdictions and appurtenances (303). 4. The doctrine of the universal papal dominion refers to the doctrine that was temporally and spiritually associated with the name of Henry of Susa or Ostiensis by the canonists in the fifteenth and the early sixteenth century. It was not as the relic for the medieval conception of the world as Christendom based on homogeneity with an infidel fringe. It was not universally accepted as some people objected to it on the basis of the fact that it was not only unsound theologically but it was also unrealistically (304). 5. Fransisco de Victoria is the great Dominican jurist. He stated that there were supposed to be rules of law to be followed in relation to war and conquest. Thus, the connection between nations was based on mutual rights and duties (306). 6. Bartolome de las casas was a propagandist who spent most of his time working in the Indies as a missionary and Bishop. He argued in regards to the rights of the Indians because of his affection for them, his zeal for their spiritual well being and his perfect indignation towards the treatment that they received. He also argued that the Pope did not have any authority over the infidels either to punish their sins or to depose their princes. According to him, the duties of the king are to protect and enforce his subjects(308) 7. Juan Gines de Sepulveda is an Aristotelian writer and scholar. His argument about just war and conquest was that it was based on natural law and respect. His work was received with practicality among the Spaniards (313). 8. At Valladolid (1550) manuscripts were circulated to introduce the new laws. It has a lot of impact on the Spanish Crown in the sense that it touched on their rights (314). 9. I agree more with Sepulveda because it touches on obedience and the rights of the individuals (315). Conclusion There are many periods around the world that are characterized by varied events. One of the most significant is the period of renaissance when Europe discovered the other parts in the rest of the world. Although there were a number of challenges that faced the people who were involved such as war and struggles, the contribution of the various individuals in different ways and at varied capacities led to the discovery and development of the different regions. As such, the political, economic and religious factors were only motivators and influencers of the quest towards discovery. Works Cited Parry, H. J. The Age of Reconnaissance: Discovery, Exploration, and Settlement, 1450-1650. California: University of California press, 1982: pp. 131-319. Read More