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#1
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Cueta~ A broad canvas.
I was recently chasing some literature on Sugar and slavery
and came across this informative passage, that may interest those of the Portuguese Afficianado collective. (Mr. Tracy? It is rather long, but gave this reader at least, some background into the outposts of Cueta and Melilla. Source: J.H Parry "Europe and a wider world 1415-1715" 1949 Hutchinson Univesity Library. In those countries, crusading was in the blood of most men of gentle birth and adventurous impulses. This was nowhere more true than in Portugal, a poor and small country which owed its national existence to a long Crusade, and in Spain, where the Crusade was still going on. The frustration of the greater Crusade in the Near East led to attempts to find means of attacking Muslim power elsewhere. If not by land, then by sea; if the Infidel were proof against frontal attack, he might be outflanked or taken in the rear; and if the strength of the European Crusaders were inadequate, then alliances might be sought with other Christian princes. Stories were current of powerful though forgotten Christian kingdoms, perhaps in East Africa, perhaps somewhere in Asia. If communications could be established with the East, moreover, by some route outside Turkish control, then the oriental trade which supplied the Turk with much of his wealth might be diverted into Christian channels. War and trade went hand-in-hand in the later Crusades. Portugal possessed a long ocean sea-board, a considerable fishing and seafaring population, and a powerful commercial class largely emancipated from feudal interference. Portuguese shippers were able and eager to graduate from an Atlantic trade in wine, fish and salt to more widespread and lucrative ventures in slaves, gold and spices. The first and obvious object of Portuguese military and commercial expansion was North-West Africa, where a large and prosperous Muslim community was living almost within hailing distance. Operations began with a sea-borne attack on the town and fortress of Ceuta in 1415. The expedition to Ceuta was a genuine Crusade, though with a limited and temporary object. It was organised by King John I, partly in order to strike a blow against the Moors by sacking one of their principal harbours-the key to the Mediterranean, Azurara called it; partly to give his sons, who were candidates for knighthood, an opportunity to win their spurs in real battle rather than in the artificial fighting of the tournament. The operation was a brilliant success and the fall of Ceuta struck a resounding blow throughout Europe. Its importance lay, not merely in the fact of the capture, but also in the bold decision to hold the place with a Portuguese garrison instead of razing it to the ground. A European state was undertaking, as a State, the defence and the administration of an overseas possession in Muslim territory. Ceuta offered many possibilities: a base for advance into Morocco, or for an attack on Gibraltar, the other great Moorish fortress in the western Mediterranean; the incentive, and probably to some extent the information, needed for the beginning of systematic African exploration and trade. With the capture of Ceuta the crusading movement passed from its mediaeval to its modern phase; from a war against Islam in the Mediterranean basin to a general struggle to carry the Christian faith and European commerce and arms round the world. The most outstanding figure in the first stages of Portuguese- and indeed of European-overseas expansion was Prince Henry of Portugal, nicknamed by English historians 'the Navigator'. Prince Henry served with great distinction at Ceuta, not only at the capture in 1415, but also three years later when he relieved the Portuguese garrison from a Moorish counter-attack. He was intimately concerned with the Crusade in both its forms: its older, narrower form of a Mediterranean war against Moor or Turk, and its newer form of a world-wide strategy for the encirclement of Islam, a strategy in which the exploration of the West African coast and the Atlantic islands was only the first move. He is chiefly remembered now as the organiser of African exploration; but for him the African voyages were a new means to an old end. His many-sided character summed up the best of old and new in the changing times in which he lived. He was both recluse and man of affairs; ascetic and generous host; Governor of the knightly Order of Christ, and friend of seamen, merchants, cartographers, instrument makers; a Catholic Christian of deep and orthodox piety, and a patron of much that was new in learning and science. Under such leadership the beginning of European expansion by sea was no sudden break with the past, but the natural outcome of centuries of crusading hope and frustration. - |
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#2
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Cueta~ A broad canvas.
On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 16:24:04 +0800, "Rod"
wrote: I was recently chasing some literature on Sugar and slavery and came across this informative passage, that may interest those of the Portuguese Afficianado collective. (Mr. Tracy? Very neat... Henry was remembered on a series of stamps issued in 1938-1939, throughout the colonies. Only 1 design in the series of stamps, it was an omnibus of Vasco da Gama, Henry and others. No doubt to spur on colonialist ties during what will be WWII. Thanks for the post! It is rather long, but gave this reader at least, some background into the outposts of Cueta and Melilla. Source: J.H Parry "Europe and a wider world 1415-1715" 1949 Hutchinson Univesity Library. In those countries, crusading was in the blood of most men of gentle birth and adventurous impulses. This was nowhere more true than in Portugal, a poor and small country which owed its national existence to a long Crusade, and in Spain, where the Crusade was still going on. The frustration of the greater Crusade in the Near East led to attempts to find means of attacking Muslim power elsewhere. If not by land, then by sea; if the Infidel were proof against frontal attack, he might be outflanked or taken in the rear; and if the strength of the European Crusaders were inadequate, then alliances might be sought with other Christian princes. Stories were current of powerful though forgotten Christian kingdoms, perhaps in East Africa, perhaps somewhere in Asia. If communications could be established with the East, moreover, by some route outside Turkish control, then the oriental trade which supplied the Turk with much of his wealth might be diverted into Christian channels. War and trade went hand-in-hand in the later Crusades. Portugal possessed a long ocean sea-board, a considerable fishing and seafaring population, and a powerful commercial class largely emancipated from feudal interference. Portuguese shippers were able and eager to graduate from an Atlantic trade in wine, fish and salt to more widespread and lucrative ventures in slaves, gold and spices. The first and obvious object of Portuguese military and commercial expansion was North-West Africa, where a large and prosperous Muslim community was living almost within hailing distance. Operations began with a sea-borne attack on the town and fortress of Ceuta in 1415. The expedition to Ceuta was a genuine Crusade, though with a limited and temporary object. It was organised by King John I, partly in order to strike a blow against the Moors by sacking one of their principal harbours-the key to the Mediterranean, Azurara called it; partly to give his sons, who were candidates for knighthood, an opportunity to win their spurs in real battle rather than in the artificial fighting of the tournament. The operation was a brilliant success and the fall of Ceuta struck a resounding blow throughout Europe. Its importance lay, not merely in the fact of the capture, but also in the bold decision to hold the place with a Portuguese garrison instead of razing it to the ground. A European state was undertaking, as a State, the defence and the administration of an overseas possession in Muslim territory. Ceuta offered many possibilities: a base for advance into Morocco, or for an attack on Gibraltar, the other great Moorish fortress in the western Mediterranean; the incentive, and probably to some extent the information, needed for the beginning of systematic African exploration and trade. With the capture of Ceuta the crusading movement passed from its mediaeval to its modern phase; from a war against Islam in the Mediterranean basin to a general struggle to carry the Christian faith and European commerce and arms round the world. The most outstanding figure in the first stages of Portuguese- and indeed of European-overseas expansion was Prince Henry of Portugal, nicknamed by English historians 'the Navigator'. Prince Henry served with great distinction at Ceuta, not only at the capture in 1415, but also three years later when he relieved the Portuguese garrison from a Moorish counter-attack. He was intimately concerned with the Crusade in both its forms: its older, narrower form of a Mediterranean war against Moor or Turk, and its newer form of a world-wide strategy for the encirclement of Islam, a strategy in which the exploration of the West African coast and the Atlantic islands was only the first move. He is chiefly remembered now as the organiser of African exploration; but for him the African voyages were a new means to an old end. His many-sided character summed up the best of old and new in the changing times in which he lived. He was both recluse and man of affairs; ascetic and generous host; Governor of the knightly Order of Christ, and friend of seamen, merchants, cartographers, instrument makers; a Catholic Christian of deep and orthodox piety, and a patron of much that was new in learning and science. Under such leadership the beginning of European expansion by sea was no sudden break with the past, but the natural outcome of centuries of crusading hope and frustration. ======================= Tracy Barber ----------------------- adirondack-pc ----------------------- "Freebie Stamp Project" ======================= |
#3
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Cueta~ A broad canvas.
Perhaps another important reason to remember Henry,
was the introduction to Madeira from Crete of the Malvoisie grape. from which those delicious dessert wines of Madeira are made Apologies for the mis-spelling of Ceuta I pronounce it rightly or wrongly as "Quaita" hence the source of my error. I'd suggest you seek out this book by JH Parry, it has 3 full chapters on the Portuguese from the crusades. Fantastic and lucid explanations of Henry's exploration down the West Coast of Africa. Riveting stuff. Very neat... Henry was remembered on a series of stamps issued in 1938-1939, throughout the colonies. Only 1 design in the series of stamps, it was an omnibus of Vasco da Gama, Henry and others. No doubt to spur on colonialist ties during what will be WWII. Thanks for the post! |
#4
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Cueta~ A broad canvas.
The proper pronunciation is either Theuta or Seuta, depending on the
Spanish dialect of the person. Tony "Rod" wrote in message ... Perhaps another important reason to remember Henry, was the introduction to Madeira from Crete of the Malvoisie grape. from which those delicious dessert wines of Madeira are made Apologies for the mis-spelling of Ceuta I pronounce it rightly or wrongly as "Quaita" hence the source of my error. I'd suggest you seek out this book by JH Parry, it has 3 full chapters on the Portuguese from the crusades. Fantastic and lucid explanations of Henry's exploration down the West Coast of Africa. Riveting stuff. Very neat... Henry was remembered on a series of stamps issued in 1938-1939, throughout the colonies. Only 1 design in the series of stamps, it was an omnibus of Vasco da Gama, Henry and others. No doubt to spur on colonialist ties during what will be WWII. Thanks for the post! ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
#5
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Cueta~ A broad canvas.
Thanks Tony, I think
I have to now re adjust my familiarity with that word. When I was a nipper, I had a dinky toy of a formula 1 "Alfa Romeeo" It took me years to adjust to "Alfa Romayo" "A.E. Gelat" wrote in message ... | The proper pronunciation is either Theuta or Seuta, depending on the | Spanish dialect of the person. | | Tony |
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