Introduction to I.O.B I.O.B = Indian Ocean Basin

Zone of Interaction

Oceans, deserts, grasslands

Served as meeting places for people of different backgrounds

Indian Ocean

First real ocean humans could cross w/o clinging to coastline

Where Africa and Eurasia came together

A Sailor’s Ocean Ideal for early sailors

Most of waters are warm

Most major storms stay in south (few people)

Monsoon winds

Predictable cycles

Just had to “wait” for right time

W shape – across smaller bodies of water

3 circle pattern of travel and diffusion

The Ocean ConnectsMedit. trade = E to W ( little variation in ecology)

Indian Ocean – connects variety of environments

Variety = stimulus to trade

Exotic & Unique goods

Human Diversity

Port Cities (waiting for next monsoon)

Cosmopolitan living

People in Motion Spread of Austronesia Language (Madagascar)

Slave Trades & Labor Migrations

Brings ethnic diversity

Merchants

Religious teachers and missionaries

Import teachers (Hinduism SE Asia)

Arabic in Java and Polynesia

I.O.B - Five things Connected Asia, Africa, India, Europe, and Middle

East

Fostered the spread of Islam

Trade Diasporas all over the world

There is not a single era w/o the Indian Ocean as a component

Central to World History and its development.

Lynda Schaffer -Southernization

Trade in Sub-Saharan AfricaWest Africa

Camel domesticated c. 2nd-5th century C.E

Regular caravan trade across Sahara

Creation of three large empires

Ghana(700-c.1100)

Mali (1100-c.1400)

Songhay (c. 1300-c.1600)

Sub Saharan Trade Empire Rose to power through trade – unlike other empires

that control land

Gold, slaves, cloth, ivory, ebony, pepper- North

Salt, Dates, Brass, Copper, Gold, Leather, Textiles, -south

2/3 of Gold used to finance trade in Eastern Hemisphere comes from Africa

Fusion of Islamic / African ideas

Strong patriarchs / groups of rulers

Mali Malinke (founders)

Economic basis = agriculture

Juula (Merchants)

Sundiata (Sunjata) & oral tradition

Griots and the tale of the “Lion Prince”

Mansa (ruler) who divided up the world

Created social order / set up political institutions

Secured Travel / Punished crime severly

Mansa K. Musa

Muslim ruler that makes hajj in 1324, passes through Cairo

Contact w/ outer world brings changes

Ishak al-Sahili (Granada, Andalucía {Muslim Spain}) - 1321

Ibn Batuta 1304 - 1369

***Ibn Batuta***• Muslim from N. Africa

• Trained as judge (Quran) in Shar’ia

Logged some 60,000-70,000 miles of travel, logging his journeys in journals

Illustrating the cultural unity of “Dar al-Islam”

Impressions of “places” are based upon gifts recieved

• One of his final trips is to Mali

• Scandalized by Muslims in Mali – where men and women are co-mingling

Mali Development of cosmopolitan (multinational)

court

Polygamy was/is a common social practice

Major Trade cities include:

Jenne (Central Mali)

Timbuktu (W. Africa/Mali)

Relied heavily on “Book trade” and knowledge

80% of the population still rely on farming

Communal clearing of land

Africa and I.O.B Numerous City-states grow up along Eastern coast

including:Mombasa, Mogadishu, and ZanzibarLater called the Swahili Coast “Lingua franca” or common tongue Sawahil al-sudan “shores of the blacks”

Trade in Gold (from inland): Great Zimbabwe -best known for its massive stone walls.

Indonesians settle Madagascar looking for economic opportunity.

Muslim and Jewish traders Both formed important international trade

communities Joined by religion and ethnicity

Jews Dispersed as far away as China

Muslims Dominant force in Indian Ocean Trade

Gradual conversion of much of S.E Asia

Hajj (need for international travel)

South Asia and I.O.B Delhi Sultanate (1206–1527). Loose collection of Indian states could not defend against

attacks. Destroyed temples and massacred thousands of

Hindus. Pay special tax in exchange for protection created

tension between Hindus / Muslims *** Sultan Raziya - 1236 - 1240 *** One of the few female sovereigns in the history of the

Islamic civilization

Indian Ocean trade dominated by Arabs 8th – 16th centuries

Displaced Hindu and Buddhist influence in S.E Asia

South Asia and I.O.B Sultanate *destroyed* by Timur (1398)

Delhi is ultimately sacked and captured.

Despite multiple shortcomings - Delhi Sultanate Centralized its Bureaucracy (Sultan, Viziers, govs) Promoted and Expanded Trade Regulated Currency Overall prospered from I.OB. trade

Monsoon winds

Dhow (lateen sails)

Junks ships

Chinese Trade China – by 1500 C.E. had the most advanced economy in

the world.

Highly developed internal markets

4th Century C.E. China took part in international trade.

Developed a powerful navy by the 12th century.

Radical theory – “Voyages of Zheng”

Believed to have reached Americas, Africa, and Australia

Controversial theory / rejected by many historians

Important to Note: I.O.B was NOT controlled by one

central authority

series of smaller economical relationships.

Islam = uniting factor of all languages and ethnicities.

Ibn Battuta - Moroccan Muslim chronicled many prominent locations in I.O.B in Voyage.

India was the quest of most explorers by the end of the period.

Hinduism / Buddhism Influenced by India (Trade) Cambodian Empires

(Khmer) and Indonesian Empires (Srivijayan) took hold of trade routes in S.E Asia for a time.

Angkor Wat and Borobudur.

Malacca - Connected I.O.B with China

Conquered by Portugal @ end of period in 1511.

Angkor Wat Cambodia

(Khymer Palace)

Constructed c. 12th cent.

Dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu

C. 13th Century Converted to Buddhist temple.

Borobudur Java Indonesia

9th cent. Buddhist shrine

Levels represent steps toward enlightenment.

Cultural Diffusion in Oceania.

Islam in I.O.B Flourishing of Literacy

Not so much in India

City of Timbuktu - 150 schools - books $

Development of a “Common code of morality”

Standardization of Marriage and family

“Death-nail of Buddhism” in some regions

Technology and cultural continuities

Transmission of Tech Papermaking (China)

Crops & Foodstuffs

Wheat, rice, sugarcane, bananas, oranges, lemons, limes, cotton*

Largest agricultural exchange in World History up to this time!

More food = more people.