Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 248

Chapter 248

As King João I gave his approval, Henry quickly took action.

“First, we must strengthen the defense of Ceuta.”

Ceuta, known to be the location of the southern pillar of the Pillars of Hercules, was the region Portugal had acquired when invading Morocco.

It was a strategic stronghold that had to be passed through for travel between the Mediterranean region and the areas of England and France.

Of course, it was possible to travel by land from Italy, but the barrier of the Alps stood in the way.

Therefore, to transport goods desired by nobles of England, France, and various countries of Northern Europe, one had to pass through the Mediterranean and go up to the North Atlantic.

For that reason, the value of Ceuta was becoming increasingly important.

The Marinid dynasty of Morocco, which had lost Ceuta, was continually building up its strength and waiting for an opportunity to recapture it.

It was not just the Marinid dynasty.

The Crown of Aragon and the Crown of León-Castile, which had driven out the Islamic dynasties from the Iberian Peninsula through the Reconquista, were also aiming for Ceuta.

To guard against this, the first task was to ensure the defense of Ceuta, which would become the forward base for the route to Joseon.

For this, Portugal invested funds to strengthen the defense of Ceuta.

First, the moat of the fortress, which had been built by Muslims and renovated for use, was dug wider and deeper, and a large number of cannons were deployed.

However, not all resources were spent solely on the defense of Ceuta.

Henry began sending out exploration ships to survey the western coast of Africa.

The goal of the exploration ships was not to explore routes but to find supply bases.

-Find a suitable place on the western coast of Africa to serve as a supply base.

-A place with a geographical environment where ships can take shelter in adverse weather.

-A place where food, water, and timber for ship repair are easily obtainable.

-A place with a climate similar to Europe.

-A place where contact with slave traders is convenient.

Portuguese ships departing from Ceuta searched the western coast of Africa to find a place meeting the above conditions.

***

“Funds are the problem.”

“Already?”

At the report from the managers in charge of the exploration work, Prince Henry’s face crumpled.

With the king’s approval, considerable finances were allocated to Henry’s exploration work.

However, the finances invested in this way were already starting to run out.

“What’s the reason?”

“There is a lack of ships.”

“There is also a lack of sailors.”

“Ugh…”

At the managers’ report, Prince Henry had no choice but to groan while clutching his head with both hands.

Exploring the western coast of Africa was not something that could be done with just one or two ships.

At least every six months, more than two ships had to be sent out at a time for the exploration work to proceed.

The reason it had to be this way was due to the limitations of wooden ships and communication issues.

Compared to the relatively calm Mediterranean, the seas west of Africa were fierce.

Therefore, even a small mistake could make both the ship and its crew disappear.

The problem was that even if the ships at sea met with such a disaster, those who sent them had no way of knowing.

Until the ships returned on the scheduled date, the shipowners and the families of the sailors could only visit the church and pray for their safe return.

For this reason, at least every 6 months, more than 2 ships had to be sent out.

If 2 or 3 ships moved together, at least 1 could survive and return with the survivors.

This method of exploration necessarily required many ships.

Even now, shipyards in mainland Portugal were diligently building ships, but somehow a shortage of ships had already occurred.

The issue of sailors was even more serious.

Even if a ship that went out for exploration returned safely, it was close to a miracle for all the sailors who had boarded the ship at departure to return unharmed.

Whether catching diseases or encountering pirates, there were inevitably casualties while experiencing various incidents and accidents.

Moreover, there was a constant occurrence of sailors who became physically and mentally weakened due to long-distance voyages in harsh environments, making them unfit for life on board.

Therefore, when the returned ships finished maintenance and set out again, it was not uncommon for more than half to be filled with new sailors.

“What is the answer to this?”

At Prince Henry’s words, the managers answered in unison.

“We must recruit more sailors!”

The managers’ opinions were as follows.

-By recruiting and operating a large number of sailors, experienced sailors can be cultivated.

-If there is a sufficient number of sailors, adequate rest can be provided to sailors who have returned from long-distance voyages.

“Hmm… I see. Proceed as stated.”

“As I mentioned again, there is a problem with funds.”

At the managers’ answer, Prince Henry frowned.

“The solution?”

At Prince Henry’s question, the managers presented various solutions.

“We must purchase and sell more spices and Joseon’s goods.”

“That part is not easy because of those Italians. That’s why we’re trying to find a route to the East, isn’t it?”

“We must get our hands on the African gold trade route.”

“That issue is not easy because of those Muslims.”

“We can strengthen the slave trade.”

At the last manager’s words, Prince Henry nodded.

“That’s good. Anyway, as we pioneer the route, a way to acquire slaves will also open up. Try to come up with a plan.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

In this way, the unpleasant exchange between the European and African continents proceeded more quickly and on a larger scale.

It was an unfortunate butterfly effect caused by Hyang’s intervention.

***

Following the managers’ proposal, Prince Henry began recruiting sailors on a large scale.

‘Prince Henry of Portugal is recruiting sailors and prospective captains!’

‘I heard you become rich if you go to Africa once!’

At the rumors spreading in Europe, sailors and prospective captains flocked to Portugal from Italy and various other countries.

Young people who had been living as serfs or apprentices in guilds with no future set out for Portugal in hopes of making a fortune.

They were not the only ones. Those who had gained experience by steering other people’s ships in the Mediterranean also moved to Lisbon, Portugal.

“I can’t work under others forever, can I?”

Those who gathered in this way were transferred to Ceuta.

Prospective sailors began training in Ceuta, and prospective captains were also appointed as first mates on newly assigned exploration ships to test their qualifications.

In this process, many—not only prospective sailors but also prospective captains—were eliminated along the way.

This was due to a superstition circulating among European seafarers at the time.

In order for Prince Henry’s goal to be achieved, crossing the equator and going south was an inevitable gateway.

However, not only for new recruits but also for Portuguese sailors who were accustomed to living in the rough seas around Portugal, crossing the equator was taboo.

Such a taboo was based on experience.

The place name “Cape Non,” located at 29 degrees north latitude on the western coast of Africa, was given because none of the seafarers who passed through there had ever returned.(Note 1)

Therefore, there were quite a few who gave up and turned back on their own.

“Crossing the equator is a profane act!”

However, there were even more people flocking in with lofty dreams than those who gave up.

Because there were neighbors who were immediately making a fortune by selling slaves from Africa and goods coming from far away places like India, China, and Joseon.

***

Prince Henry was well aware of this problem.

To solve this, he gathered geographers in Sagres while also recruiting sailors and prospective captains.

The task of the geographers gathered in this way was to conduct research based on the nautical charts of Islam, Byzantium, and the logbooks recorded by captains during navigation.

The results that came out and the newly incoming information were delivered to the expedition commanders and captains setting out for exploration.

It was natural for funds to be consumed in this entire process. In the case of sailors, training costs could be deducted during the process of settling profits after returning from a voyage, but this was not possible for scholars.

In the end, Prince Henry sought out his father the king.

“We will have to borrow the hands of merchants.”

***

‘Prince Henry is gathering funds from merchants. The purpose is to find a detour route to the East!’

Such rumors swiftly flowed into the ears of Italian merchants.

Italy. Florence.

“The cowards have found courage.”

Upon hearing the rumor, Cosimo de’ Medici, the head of the House of Medici, chuckled and muttered.

There was a reason Cosimo disparaged them as “cowards.”

He, who would later build the House of Medici that continued to wield prestige and notoriety, was an outstanding intellectual.

From a young age, he learned Latin, Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew and interacted with scholars and artists.

Especially as the eldest son, in return for accepting his father’s wish to carry on the family business, he was able to collect ancient books, and he diligently collected them.(Note 2)

The ancient documents he gathered in this way from Europe and Byzantium, along with the information obtained through Islamic merchants, continually fattened his knowledge.

Therefore, Cosimo used the word “cowards.”

As mentioned above, people in Northern Europe at the time firmly believed that they could not cross the equator.

However, Cosimo knew that Islamic merchants, albeit by land, were crossing the equator back and forth without any problems.

Of course, excluding unavoidable natural disasters and attacks by bandits.

Moreover, he also knew that the newly emerged great empire called Ming in Kitai had sent a large fleet to the end of Africa.

He was also aware that quite a few Islamic merchants had attempted to use ships to go from the eastern to the western sea of Africa.

And he knew that those attempts had ended in miserable failure.

***

The sea near the southernmost tip of Africa, the apex where the eastern and western coasts of Africa meet, had become a graveyard for Islamic ships due to its geographical characteristics—natural adversities such as ocean currents and winds.

The triangular waves created by the meeting of the two oceans were difficult to overcome with the dhows used by Islamic merchants.

In the end, due to such natural limitations and the reason that profitable trade took place in the Mediterranean region, Islamic merchants gave up on that challenge.

In the end, it was because Cosimo knew through various information that the development of a detour route was possible that he evaluated Prince Henry’s challenge as “the cowards have found courage.”

***

“Hmm… What should I do?”

Having grasped Prince Henry’s movements, Cosimo pondered his future response.

As mentioned above, the knowledge Cosimo possessed was tremendous. If he cooperated with Henry, there was a possibility that Prince Henry’s attempt would succeed in a short time.

“However, the problem is that it’s not profitable for me.”

Behind Cosimo’s accumulation of immense wealth was the Medici Bank located in 16 European countries.

However, the capital that maintained that bank came from the intermediary trade between Islam and Europe.

Therefore, Cosimo did not release the knowledge he had.

Of course, there were many others with outstanding academic knowledge besides him. However, there were hardly any who comprehensively accumulated such knowledge while also being in a position to exert political and economic power.

***

Note 1) The Age of Exploration. Korea Daily News Time Life. Published in 1978.

Note 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosimo_de%27_Medici