Introduction
The history of the European colonialism started around the 1500s and lasted for centuries. The European countries were not unique in their colonial efforts1; however, it is clear that the colonization organized by the European countries changed the face of the world. There existed numerous reasons for the colonization to start and continue. In this paper, we will discuss two such reasons: religious expansion and promoting trade.
Reason One: Religious Expansion
One of the main reasons why European countries engaged in colonization of the globe was connected to religion: the colonizers wished to promote the Christian faith in Asia and other parts of the world. This also involved fighting the adepts of the competing religions. One of the main competing religions was Islam; it was often a great desire to get rid of this rival.
The authors of the primary sources provided by Andrea and Overfield mention the religious component.2 For example, the Portuguese general and conqueror Afonso d’Albuquerque, in his speech to his men that was given in order to persuade them to attack the city of Melaka (contemporary Malaysia), mentioned “the great service” to the Christian God they would make by conquering the city. He stated: “The first of these [reasons for taking the city] is the great service we shall render to Our Lord by throwing the Muslims out of the city and preventing the fire of the Mohammedan sect from spreading any further. I hope in Our Lord that, as a result of our doing this, the Muslims may be driven out of India altogether.”3 Therefore, it is clear that Portugal was interested in removing the Muslims from Asia.
The famous Italian explorer Christopher Columbus (who was provided with the equipment necessary for the voyage by the Spanish crown, though) in the prologue to his diary of his first voyage (which was written in late 1492) stated: “as Catholic… Princes who love the holy Christian faith and the propagation of it, and who are enemies to the sect of Muhammad and to all idolatries and heresies, resolved to send me… to the said parts of India… with a view that they might be converted to our holy faith.”4 Because Columbus uses the possible chance to more effectively remove Muslims from India as an argument for exploring the new route to Asia, it is evident that the Spanish crown was opposing Islam. In addition, Columbus mentions the Spanish victory in Granada, where “the Muslim King… kiss[ed] the royal hands.”5 In this regard, it should be noted that the victory in Granada was the battle with which the completion of Reconquista, the expulsion of Muslim Moors from the Iberian Peninsula (mostly by Spanish and Portuguese), is associated.6
Another example of the wish to promote religious faith is given by an English writer Richard Hakluyt. He was one of the lobbyers of the colonization of North America in the 16th century. He also used the possible opportunity to spread the Christian faith as an argument to persuade the English monarchs to support the colonization. For instance, in his A Discourse on Western Planting, he wrote: “We shall by planting there enlarge the glory of the gospel, and from England plant sincere religion.”7 Of course, Hakluyt himself was a priest,8 but the fact that the missionary work is mentioned in his writings in order to promote colonization still means that this reason had some weight.
Therefore, it is clear that promoting the Christian faith and opposing the rival religions was one of the essential reasons for European countries to colonize the world. In addition, the centuries-long Reconquista (that was finally completed in 1492) provided the European colonizers with additional hatred towards Muslims, and stimulated them to fight the followers of Islam in other parts of the globe.
Reason Two: Trade
Another important reason why European countries participated in the colonization efforts was the wish to earn more profits from trade.9 In particular, they wished to expand their trade routes, gain a monopoly on some goods where possible, defeat rivals, and avoid foreign customs. The texts often mention trade as a source of additional wealth.
For example, the Portuguese explorer Afonso d’Albuquerque in his speech to his men mentions the fact that driving the Muslims out of the city of Melaka will put the latter in a great economic disadvantage and promote Portuguese trade. He asserts: “By taking Melaka, we would close the Straits so that never again would the Muslims be able to bring their spices by this route.”10 And further: “I am very sure that, if this Melaka trade is taken out of their hands, Cairo and Mecca will be completely lost and no spices will go to the Venetians except those that they go to Portugal to buy.”11 Therefore, not only the desire to defeat the economic rivals is present; d’Albuquerque speaks about establishing the monopoly over Asian spices, which were an extremely valuable commodity in Europe. It is stressed that by the 1560s, the Portuguese controlled about 50% of spices that were imported to Europe from Asia.12
The Spanish crown, equipping Columbus for his voyage, also expressed the desire for the expedition to find additional goods for sale. It was hoped that the explorer would discover new sources of commodities; of course, Columbus was promised a share of it. The agreement of April 17, 1492, states: “All and whatever merchandise, whether it be pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and other goods of any kind… your Highness grant henceforth to the said Lord Cristobal, and will that he may have and take for himself, the tenth part of all of them.”13
Finally, Richard Hakluyt argued that colonizing North America would provide England with new trading routes that would allow merchants to avoid paying customs to foreign countries, making the imported goods cheaper for England. Hakluyt writes: “no foreign commodity that comes into England comes without payment of custom once, twice, or thrice… and by this route to Norumbega foreign princes’ customs are avoided; and the foreign commodities cheaply purchased, they become cheap to the subjects of England.”14
Therefore, it is evident that the wish to open new trade routes, find new sources of goods and commodities, and dispose of rivals in trade also were reasons for European countries to engage in colonization.
Conclusion
To sum up, it should be stressed that European countries had a number of reasons to begin and maintain colonization. These reasons include religious expansion and the desire to crush the opposing religions (such as Islam), as well as the wish to expand trade, open new routes for merchant ships, and gain additional privileges (such as monopoly) in the market.
Bibliography
Andrea, Alfred J., and James H. Overfield. The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014.
Noll, Mark A. The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002.
O’Brien, Patrick Karl. Atlas of World History. Concise ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Pollard, Elizabeth, Clifford Rosenberg and Robert Tignor. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart. Volume Two: From 1000 CE to the Present. Concise ed. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2015.
Footnotes
1 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 6-7.
2 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 6-16.
3 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 8-9.
4 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 13.
5 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 12.
6 Mark A. Noll, The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), 28.
7 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 15.
8 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 13.
9 Elizabeth Pollard, Clifford Rosenberg and Robert Tignor, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart. Volume Two: From 1000 CE to the Present, concise ed. (New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2015), 422.
10 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 9.
11 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 9.
12 Patrick Karl O’Brien, Atlas of World History, concise ed. (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2007), 112.
13 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 12.
14 Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Volume II: Since 1500, 8th ed. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2014), 15.