 Part 2 - The Age of ExplorationBy Creezy Courtoy, Perfume Historian and Anthropologist Spain was one of the main supply channels for perfumery products in the 15th, 16th and 17th Centuries. In the precedent episode, we saw how the Arabs brought with them advanced knowledge of alchemy and distillation, which was crucial for the development of perfumes. The way they introduced new ingredients and techniques, influencing the European approach to perfumery. They brought with them the art of perfume and the science of perfumery, the culture of flowers and raw material for perfumery. This period saw advancements in the methods of extracting and blending fragrances. While Spain's climate and geography were ideal for cultivating aromatic plants and flowers, such as orange blossoms, jasmine, and rosemary, the country also played a pivotal role in global trade. In this episode, we will discover what made Spain even more powerful playing a major role on the Perfume Roads. Recall that Venice played an important role in the trade of raw material but at the age of maritime exploration, they never thought Portugal would invest seeking new trade routes and expanding its influence. Before the Portuguese opened new sea routes, Venice relied on overland trade routes, such as the Perfume Road and other connections through the Middle East. The Portuguese sea route offered a more efficient and less costly alternative, diminishing the importance of these overland paths.  First Spanish and Portuguese Empires XV-XVII Centuries: Orange: Spanish Empire - Violet: Portuguese Empire - Green: French and English Possessions. The landmark journey of Vasco da Gama in 1497-1498 around the Cape of Good Hope to India was pivotal. This sea route allowed the Portuguese to access the rich spice markets of Asia directly, bypassing overland trade routes dominated by Venetian and Middle Eastern merchants.
The direct sea route to Asia meant that spices and other goods could be brought to Europe more cheaply and in larger quantities. The Portuguese could therefore offer better prices, eroding Venice's monopoly and competitive edge. Portugal established a series of fortified trading posts along the coasts of Africa and Asia. Places like Goa, Malacca, and Hormuz became key centers for controlling the spice trade. They also developed superior navigational techniques and shipbuilding technologies, such as the use of the caravel, which allowed them to undertake longer sea voyages safely. Lisbon replaced Venice and became the continent’s larger market for spices and perfumes thanks to its tremendous naval power and to the Portuguese who were excellent navigators. But the Portuguese colonial empire was short-lived. The incompetence of Portuguese monarchs led Spain to militarily occupy Portugal in 1580 and Spain took control of Portugal overseas colonies and their trade. During this period (the Iberian Union from 1580 till 1640), Philip II of Spain became the King of Portugal, allowing the Spanish Crown to control and benefit from raw material in provenance of a vast colonial empire, which included territories in Africa, Asia and the Americas including the spice and perfume trade roads. The 15th, 16th, 17th and the first part of the 18th Centuries were marked by intense traffic on the Eastern Seas where Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English and French were competing for raw materials. Spain used dynastic marriages and diplomacy to strenghthen its trade networks and stabilize its trade interests across Europe, insuring a steady flow of goods. Spanish explorers brought back exotic spices and botanicals from the New World and the East Indies, which enriched the European perfume palette. This exchange led to the introduction of new scents and materials that were incorporated into European perfumes. Check our next Episode: Spain a Forgotten Legacy Part 2 In the meantime if you are passionate by perfume, follow Creezy Courtoy's World Perfume History Course
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 Part 1 Al-Andalous, Haroun al-Rachid and CordobaBy Creezy Courtoy, Perfume Historian and Anthropologist When we talk about perfume, everyone thinks about Paris as the center of perfumery, and we forget about the whole world of perfume history. I would like to remind everyone the way perfumery entered Europe and the role of Spain in the perfume heritage. It is not an accident that Spain is taking the lead today in the evolution of perfumery. Spain has an important perfume heritage. For the first episode of this new series, I invite you to follow me into the Spanish Middle Ages. The initial invasion of the Iberian Peninsula was led by the Umayyad general Tariq ibn Ziyad. In 711 CE, Muslims swiftly conquered most of the region, establishing control over a large part of what would become Al-Andalus. By the time Haroun al-Rashid began his rule, the Umayyad dynasty had already been overthrown by the Abbasids in a revolution known as the Abbasid Revolution in 750 CE. After this, those Umayyads who escape established their own rule in Spain, with Córdoba as the capital, thus continuing the Islamic presence in the region. Haroun al-Rashid was the fifth caliph of the Abbasid dynasty, ruling from 786 to 809 CE. He is often remembered as one of the most famous and well-regarded caliphs in Islamic history. His reign marked a period of cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing within the Islamic Golden Age. Under his rule, Bagdad became a center of trade and commerce. The capital city was known for its architectural wonders and was a hub for scholars and traders from different cultures and backgrounds. During and after Haroun al-Rashid’s reign, Córdoba emerged as a significant center of Islamic culture and learning. The city became renowned for its advancements in various fields, including medicine, philosophy, and poetry. It was marked by architectural achievements, such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba. Al-Rashid was a patron of the arts and sciences. He encouraged literature, philosophy, and scientific endeavors, which helped to foster a rich cultural environment. The famed collection of stories known as "One Thousand and One Nights" (or "Arabian Nights") was completed during his time, though it is a compilation of tales from various sources. The Abbasid Empire, under Haroun al-Rashid, thrived economically, which fostered trade relations across the Mediterranean. This period saw extensive trade in luxury items, including perfumes and essential oils. Arab merchants were known for their high-quality fragrances, which would find their way into Spain through the Perfume Roads.  Spain became a center for cultural and scientific exchange. The Arabs brought with them advanced knowledge of alchemy and distillation, which was crucial for the development of perfumes. They introduced new ingredients and techniques, influencing the European approach to perfumery. They brought with them the art of perfume and the science of perfumery, the culture of flowers and raw material for perfumery. This period saw advancements in the methods of extracting and blending fragrances.
The city of Córdoba, during the height of Al-Andalus, was a major center for learning and culture, including the art of perfumery. The influx of goods, including perfumes from the Middle East, brought new scents and the art of fragrance creation to Spain. While Haroun al-Rashid may not have traveled to Spain himself, his reign contributed to the cultural and economic exchanges that facilitated the introduction and evolution of perfumery in the region, influencing both local practices and later European traditions. Perfumes became a status symbol within Spanish and later European courts, much as they had been in the Islamic world. The use of elaborate fragrances reflected wealth and sophistication, and this cultural aspect can trace some of its roots back to the interactions during Haroun al-Rashid’s reign. The Islamic presence in the Iberian Peninsula lasted from 711 CE until 1492 CE, a period of nearly 800 years significantly influencing the culture, architecture, language and science of the region. Check our next Episode: Spain a Forgotten Legacy Part 2 In the meantime if you are passionate by perfume, follow Creezy Courtoy's World Perfume History Course |
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