Why was it inflated? Because going through all those countries with spices there would be taxes paid. So when Portugal arrived to India by sea, it allowed US to get the same spices and take them to Europe ( Portugal) without paying taxes hence a the price was much much lower but still profitableto Portugal.Besides, how did Portugal control the spice trade?
They conquered Malacca and seized cities on the east coast of Africa, using military and missionary force. They captured Malacca from the Portuguese and opened trade with China. They used military force and forged close ties with local rulers than the Portuguese had.
Secondly, why was the spice trade so important? Arab traders controlled the spice trade between Europe and the East, like China, Indonesia, India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka, my third stop), for almost 5,000 years until Europeans started looking for a new route to the Far East. Spices were so important because they helped mask the flavor of not-so-fresh food.
Also question is, why were the European interested in the spice trade?
Considering the high demand of spices, the supply was scarce which contributed to its high costs. The costs of spices rose so much that spices such as nutmeg and saffron cost more than the same weight of gold. Seeing the rising value of spices and the limited supply, Europe was inspired to venture into the trade.
What did the Portuguese do to establish a trading empire?
Portuguese mariners built the earliest trading -post empire. They did not want to conquer territories, but to control trade routes by forcing merchant vessels to call at fortified trading sites and pay duties there.
Who controlled the spice trade?
Under the command of Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese expedition was the first to bring spices from India to Europe by way of the Cape of Good Hope in 1501. Portugal went on to dominate the naval trading routes through much of the 16th century.Who discovered spices?
European explorers such as Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama, and Bartholomeu Dias began their long sea voyages to discover a sea route to the sources of spices. Christopher Columbus went westwards from Europe in 1492 to find a sea route to the lands of spices but found the Americas.How spice trade changed the world?
So the European Age of Discovery began and the spice trade changed forever. The opening up of sea routes to the far East for the spice trade allowed European interests and cultural domination to spread. The spice trade also formed what today is the most influential city in the world, New York.Who took over control of the spice trade from the Portuguese?
From the Gulf the spices made their way to Constantinople and Damascus and eventually Europe. For a long time the spice trade was controlled by north Moloccan sultanates, name Ternate, founded in 1257, and Tidore, founded in 1109. Both were based on small islands and often fought among themselves.How did the Silk Road get its name?
The Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative silk, first developed in China and a major reason for the connection of trade routes into an extensive transcontinental network.Who introduced spices to India?
After Vasco da Gama successfully discovered the route to India via the Cape of Good Hope in 1498, a Portuguese expedition led byPedro Álvares Cabral brought spices for the first time to Europe from India through the Cape of Good Hope in 1501.Which Spice did the Britishers come for?
Pepper originated in Kerala, and there was a time when it was so valuable that it was used as currency! The British took home with them one of the most prized possessions at the time, and today pepper has become one of the most widely used spices in the world.Where was the spice route?
The Spice Routes, also known as Maritime Silk Roads, is the name given to the network of sea routes that link the East with the West. They stretch from the west coast of Japan, through the islands of Indonesia, around India to the lands of the Middle East - and from there, across the Mediterranean to Europe.Which Chinese items were in high demand in Europe during the age of exploration?
Spices from Asia, such as pepper and cinnamon, were very important to the Europeans, but other items Europeans coveted included silk and tea from China, as well as Chinese porcelains.Where did the spice trade begin?
The spice trade began in the Middle East over 4,000 years ago. Arabic spice merchants would create a sense of mystery by withholding the origins of their wares, and would ensure high prices by telling fantastic tales about fighting off fierce winged creatures to reach spices growing high on cliff walls.What did the Europeans trade for spices?
The silk and spice trade, involving spices, incense, herbs, drugs and opium, made these Mediterranean city-states phenomenally rich. Spices were among the most expensive and in-demand products of the Middle Ages, used in medicine. They were all imported from Asia and Africa.Why were spices so expensive in Europe?
Why were spices so expensive for Europeans in the 14th century? Spices were expensive because when the Mongol Empire fell, taxes went up causing Asian goods to be very expensive. They wanted to trade, they wanted to find an all water route to Asia, and they wanted to discover/find new land.What spices came from the New World?
The new world has contributed only three significant spices: allspice, capsicum peppers, and vanilla. Allspice was among one of the few spice treasures presented by Columbus to the court of his sponsors. Vanilla is from one of the largest flowering plant families, the orchid family.Why was the spice trade so important in the Middle Ages?
Spices were an important commodity in the Middle Ages with an allure and mythology dating back to Antiquity. Spices were expensive and a sign of status in the Roman Empire. Like many other goods, spices were easy to transport because of safe and maintained routes controlled by the Romans.What did Europeans use spices for?
Spices were used to camouflage bad flavors and odors, and for their health benefits. Spiced wines were also popular. European apothecaries used Asian spices (e.g., ginger, pepper, nutmegs, cinnamon, saffron, cardamom) as well as garden herbs in their remedies and elixirs.What spices were on the Spice Islands?
Nutmeg and cloves largely drove the spice trade. These two widely-used spices were originally only native to this group of islands. Since spices were once worth their weight in gold, control of the Moluccas was synonymous with extreme wealth.When did the silk road start?
Established when the Han Dynasty in China officially opened trade with the West in 130 B.C., the Silk Road routes remained in use until 1453 A.D., when the Ottoman Empire boycotted trade with China and closed them. 
