THE SILK ROAD
Despite its name, The Silk Road does not consist of a single route but of a network of routes that stretched approximately 6,437 kilometres (4,000 miles) across the Gobi Desert and what are 40 countries today. They were used by merchants and traders for more than 1,500 years from 130 B.C.E. to 1453 C.E. The Silk Road was opened by the Han dynasty of China to promote trade between the West and the East.
The Cape Route
In the 1450s, a rising empire called the Ottoman Empire disturbed the flow of trade by blocking European access to the Eastern market. The West had to find an alternative way of reaching China and India and the only way was by sea. Thus, the search for an alternative sea route began. And that is when our story truly begins.
In 1498, a new sea route to the East, “Cape Route”, was discovered by the Portuguese explorer; Vasco de Gama. It was longer, but at least they did not have to venture into foreign territories and could easily exploit the riches of the East.
You may wonder about the relevance of all these details. Well, let us say that they all contributed to the discovery of Mauritius.
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