The 15th Century: Century of the Sail (Millennium) 5 of 10

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The 15th Century: Century of the Sail _________________________________________________________________ China: Excursions In the 15th century, the world's richest seas were dominated by Chinese ships. The Emperor Yung-lo commissioned expeditions to foreign parts, to gather intelligence and demonstrate Chinese superiority to the world. They did it by a crushing display of sea power. The first fleet had more than 300 ships and nearly 28,000 men. The voyages lasted two years and visited 30 countries around the rim of the Indian Ocean. The Chinese reached as far north as Mecca, as far south as Zanzibar and as far west as Jiddah. The enterprise was led by an admiral of legendary presence and charisma: Zheng He. A Muslim of Mongol descent and a eunuch, Zheng He was chosen for the imperial mission because he was an outsider. In an inward-looking court, Zheng was an imperialist who looked beyond China. _________________________________________________________________ Italy: Renaissance For most of the 15th century, Western Europe was in recession. But in Florence, bankers and merchants found a new kind of wealth to acquire -- art inspired by the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome. Their investment, spurred on by intense competition among their ranks, created the Renaissance. Rich patrons vowed to give Florence a style and skyline to match their civic pride. Florentines imagined their town as the ideal city, perfectly laid out in accordance with God-given rules of proportion. But what drove the city was money. In politics, cash bought votes and prestige. Bankers charged 45 percent interest -- and soon became as powerful as war lords. _________________________________________________________________ Mexico: Realm of Terror Hidden under Mexico City -- the biggest and busiest city in the world -- are traces of another great metropolis that stood there 500 years ago: Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire. It too sustained a huge population; 8,000 dancers performed in its main square. The first Europeans to see it were awestruck. One witness wrote, "When we saw the city built in the water, and that straight and level causeway leading to Tenochtitlán, we were astounded. These great buildings rising from the water, all made of stone, seemed like a city made by a sorcerer." Perched 7,500 feet above sea level, Tenochtitlán was surrounded by a huge lake and crossed by intersecting canals. Causeways four miles long linked the metropolis to the mainland. Bridges wide enough for 10 horsemen crossed the canals. _________________________________________________________________ Europe: Ottoman Emperor In the spring of 1453, the skies over Eastern Europe darkened. Constantinople, for centuries the center of orthodox Christianity, was besieged. The walls and ramparts of the city were a thousand years old. They were all that protected the Christians from a Muslim army of 100,000 led by a 21-year-old Ottoman prince named Mehmet Khan. In the middle of the night, Mehmet launched the final assault on the ancient walls. The Christians were outnumbered 14 to 1. But they withstood the onslaught until dawn. Then a small group of Ottoman soldiers swam up the sewer and raised the flag on the battlements. Thinking all was lost, the Christians retreated and the besieging army flooded over the ramparts. The Byzantine emperor died in the fray. _________________________________________________________________ Spain/Portugal: Call of the Sea In the 15th century, Portugal and Spain stared out from a corner of Europe into an unexplored ocean. Their coasts were the very edges of the civilized world. The land was poor and the people were jealous of their rich Mediterranean neighbors. Traditionally the domain of monsters and serpents, the ocean now became a place of opportunity. At Sagres on the southwestern tip of Portugal, adventurers gathered around the prince who came to be known as Henry the Navigator. They struggled to make a living through piracy and the slave trade. But they imagined themselves as something grander -- knights of the sea, heroes of their romantic vision of the day. In the classic adventure, the hero starts life as a poor son. He sails across the world, duels with giants and monsters, marries a princess he is in love with and ends up ruling some enchanted island. This fairy tale spurred the discoverers to begin their exploration of the world.