Beyond the Pillars of Hercules
My old paper is about the significance of free shipping through the Strait of Gibraltar and its impact on the rise of the West during the "Little Age of Discovery" (late 13th century - 14 century). The article has been modified, re-edited, and offered for Discussion. You can view it https://www.academia.edu/42166248/Beyond_the_Pillars_of_Hercules as well as read my other 25 articles on the author's page https://independent.academia.edu/BaizermanMichael?from_navbar=true The Strait of Gibraltar received a bad name because of precarious conditions for navigation and the Muslim blockade of the Christian vessels. The convenient ports of the Strait--Algeciras, Gibraltar, and Tarifa--were unavailable for rival ships. Castile's persistent struggle for the takeover of these havens went on and off for over two hundred years. Meanwhile, the Genoese mariners had signed special agreements with the Berber authorities and ventured into the Atlantic, making way to North Europe and W...