Review: the Crusade longer than one thinks
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 6, 2012
This book sets the record straight.  The period of European exploration in the 15th and 16th centruy was partlya continuation of the previous religeous wars againt the Muslims.  Vasco's first voyage was seen as apirate raid by the locals.  The next voyage by other Portgugese was a merchant expedition.  Vasco's lasttrip was actually nothing more than a PIRATE flotilla, seeking out all enemies on the high seas anddestroying them.  The Arabs certainly understood the threat.The Venetians also got the drift.  The Venetians allied themselves with the Muslim Arabs to confrontthe new menace from their fellow Christian Europeans.  They built war galleases in the RED SEA, on the OTHERside of Suez and mounted them with Florentine cannons,  Fellow Europeans?  Fellow Christians?  "But this is BUSINESS!"The Near East sees this period as an extension of the holy wars.  Ther Portuguese monarchs saw it as such.  Oddlyenough King Manual's ambition was to conguer northern Africa one step at a time, moving east, and eventually to captureJerusalem for good.  It all got side tracked.Anyway Admiral Alberquerque mangaged to capture the Strait of Hourmoz and threatened to build forts with the bonesof his victims.  In hindsight they all were true pirates afterall.