Portuguese invasion of Melaka (1511)
The Malay merchants say that God made Timor for sandal-wood and Banda for mace and the Moluccas for cloves, and that this merchandise is not known anywhere else in the world except in these places; and I asked and enquired very diligently whether they had this merchandise anywhere else and everyone said not. from Suma Oriental by Tome Pires, written between 1512 and 1515 Introduction The Portuguese invasion of Melaka in 1511 is an important point in world history. It marks the commencement of direct European control of the spice trade and the diffusion of European ideas to the region. Manuel I was apparently very proud of this achievement. He bragged about it in a letter directed to Leo X, the then newly elected Pope. Four months later, the Portuguese victory was again was orated to the Pope by Camillo Porzj in October 1513. Francisco Serrão (d. 1521) and his close companion Fernão de Mag...