Examining long-distance trade routes and the merchants who made it possible.
By Robert A. Selig
Like so many German colloquialisms the literal English translation—Get lost! Go as far away as possible, if need be, to the land where peppercorns grow!— may not make much sense. It begs for a slew of questions such as: Where do peppercorns grow? Where was that far-away destination? How would Germans hundreds of years ago have known where it was? What was the impetus, the driving force, that caused people to embark on dangerous journeys to the far corners of the world in search of peppercorns of all things? Who were those Pfeffersäcke (money bags) who got immensely rich in long-distance trade? Was pepper so valuable then and today that the term Pfeffersack is used synonymously, and usually derogatorily, for any wealthy trader? How and on which land or sea trade routes did pepper, together with other spices such as nutmeg, mace, cloves and other luxury items such as silk, furs, tea, or china reach central Europe? By which means were those trade goods transported? Did the means of transportation change over the centuries? Which criteria determine selection and direction of trade routes? Did criteria such as political instability, changing tastes in food or fashion, or demographic developments impact the quantity and quality of trade goods?
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