Spice

In this gripping narrative, Roger Crowley delves into the fierce 16th-century competition for control of the spice trade, exploring how it spurred European maritime exploration and shaped the modern world. The quest for spices—treasured commodities that drove the early economy—led to epic adventures and conflicts as Spanish and Portuguese explorers sought the elusive Moluccas. Spanning from Seville to the Pacific and beyond, the story highlights the establishment of vast maritime empires and the creation of global trade, enriched with vivid eyewitness accounts of colonial encounters.