Book 1 - An Expedition Beyond the Seas

When the flames of war between the East and the West died down, trade flourished. Europeans were unable to produce silk, cotton textiles, rugs, jewelry, and steel tools, and thus had no choice but to import them from the East. They also craved spices such as pepper, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg.

European traders, particularly those in Venice and Genoa, set sail for the Mediterranean Sea to buy these valuable commodities and sell them in Europe at a high price.