A Spiced Up Version of History

Question 2: Explain the ways in which the desire by European monarchies / governments to control the spice trade changed world history.  

From ancient egypt trading in ivory from central africa and lapis lazuli from mesopotamia to the powerful european empires of the second half of the 2nd millenium AD trading in spices from asia and precious metals from the Americas, this desire and pursuit of valuable and exotic goods has shaped whole civilizations and left an indelible mark on the history of peoples located at the farthest reaches of the globe.

Controlled by european royalty, the spice trade proved one of the most striking examples of egocentric and extractive trade systems. As the central focus remained on filling both royal and national coffers, little respect remained for the cultures and lives of indigenous peoples. This led to gross abuses of human rights and genocidal actions, both of which indirectly affected the rapid depopulation of the americas and the enslavement of africa.

Direct effects of the spice trade could however be felt in Southeast Asian islands, like the Moluccas, Sri Lanka, and Ternate. Little did the natives realize, but once europeans arrived nothing would ever be the same. From the introduction of new weapons and war machines to western ideals and forms of government these foreigners would force their way in and rape the land.

Additional impacts of the european spice trade can be seen in the naval power wielded by Spain, France, England, the Netherlands and the achievements wrought with this new power. For example the first complete circumnavigation of the world by Ferdinand Magellan, their combined victory at the Battle of Lepanto when at least 200 muslim ship and 30,000 sailors were destroyed in around 3 hours, and the formation of vast overseas empires connected only by the tenuous trade routes.

While the spice trade produced many positive and negative results, the most important one (and one which could be viewed as either positive or negative) is the fact that the trade induced one of the first large waves of globalization.

http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/christian/blchron_xian_crusades12.htm 

Pics
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~cfford/342WorldHistoryModern.html
http://www.old-map.com/spice.htm
http://nobility.org/2012/10/04/lepanto/