The Boundless Sea

by David Abulafia

as place of exile 481–3, 493

  slavery 481–3, 493, 495, 497, 510, 511

  sugar 493

  sapanwood 232, 233, 234, 278

  sapphires 99, 115, 118, 141

  ‘Saracens’ 508

  Sarangani island 614

  Sarapis (god) 112, 114, 122

  Sarawak Steamship Company 892

  Sardinia 324, 326

  Sargon of Akkad (Sargon the Great) 57–8, 65

  Sargon of Assyria 65

  Sarhat, Israel di 707

  Saris, John 632

  Sarmiento de Gamboa, Pedro 729, 730, 731

  Sasanid Persia/Empire 141, 147, 167

  Sasanian kings 118

  Sassoon, Frederick 827

  Sassoon family of Bombay 823

  Sataspes 89, 90

  Satavahana Empire 105

  satin 233

  Satingpra 244

  Satsuma 652

  Saudi Arabia 53, 93–4

  Savonarola, Girolamo 526

  Saxons 344, 345, 346, 347, 348

  Sayf ad-din of Hormuz 598

  Scandinavia 170–71, 342 see also Denmark/Danes; Norway; Sweden

  brooches 353

  as centre of interconnected global operations 711

  Christianization 361

  exotic luxuries reaching 366

  Margaret and the three realms of 436–7

  merchants 367

  mixed marriages between Celts and Scandinavians 375–6, 380, 386

  Norsemen see Norsemen

  pagan Scandinavian women in Faroes 383

  ports serving as northern European distribution centres 722

  raiders from 347–8, 356–72 see also Vikings

  Scandinavians in Haithabu 366

  ships 342–3, 347, 357, 360–61, 365, 368–71

  and the tea trade 725

  Scharnhorst 890

  Schauenburg, Adolf von 423

  Scheldt, River 361, 673, 676, 897

  Schleswig 423

  Schöner, Johannes 572

  Schottun, Richard 452

  scimitars 318

  Scotland 302, 304, 887

  brochs (small castles) 326

  Darien Scheme and Scottish union with England 722–3

  Jacobites 723

  Jamaica and Scottish Highlanders 772

  ‘megalithic’ culture 308

  monuments 301

  Neolithic 310

  to Orkney 304

  Scot raiders 347

  Scottish Company of the Indies 722

  scurvy 573, 616, 666, 687, 688, 752, 793

  ‘Sea-Beggars’, Dutch 673

  Sea–Land Service 903–4

  sea levels 6, 11

  falling 52, 303

  rising 11, 20, 303, 339, 345; and Dunkirk II Marine Transgression 345

  sea otters 785, 808

  fur 785, 786, 806, 808, 809

  sea slugs 232

  Seacole, Mary 853

  ‘Seafarer, The’ 350

  Seal, Graham 733

  seals (emblems)

  Indus 63–4

  round stamp seals 66

  and Ryukyu Islands 233

  for shipping bound for China 235

  Sumerian 63–4

  seals (mammals) 306, 404, 785, 791

  blubber 408, 797

  seal-hunting 399

  skins 397, 502, 785, 791

  seaplanes 898

  seaweed 196, 232, 306

  Sebag family 836

  Sebastian of Portugal 479, 621, 700

  Second World War 887–91, 896

  and Belfast 870

  Seeley, Sir John 765

  Seine, River 319, 321, 332, 369

  Seleucids 93

  Syria under 94

  Seleukeia 94–5

  Selim I 603, 607

  Selman Reis 603–4, 607

  Semudera 264, 267, 276, 279

  Semudera–Pasai 273–6, 279, 292

  Seneca 337, 531

  Senegal 702, 708

  Seoul 650

  Sephardim 698–700, 701, 717, 768, 834, 838, 840

  of Amsterdam 701, 702, 704

  Serer people 500, 502, 503

  Serrão, Francisco 568–9, 571–2, 576, 606

  Serrão, João 571, 576

  sesame

  Indian 114

  oil 57, 59, 104

  Severn, River 361

  Seville 370, 467, 507, 528, 532, 561, 586, 617, 618, 623, 676, 696

  archives 594, 634

  businessmen funding transatlantic voyages 525, 588

  Casa de Contratación 555

  and the Dutch 677

  and Havana 592

  investors 703

  and Japan 632

  merchants 589

  and Santo Domingo 590

  and silver 635

  slaves 583–4

  trade with Americas 703

  shagreen 648–9

  Shama (African village) 508

  Shamash (sun god) 60

  Shanghai 244, 826, 827, 866, 871, 872, 893

  sharks 14

  fins 232

  skins 648–9

  Sharp, Andrew 19

  Shaw, Samuel 787

  Sheba 82

  Queen of 81

  sheep 372–3, 381, 385, 400, 404, 486, 489, 730

  Merino 475

  Shelikov, Grigory Ivanovich 805–6

  shellfish 11, 28, 196, 306, 310, 323, 373, 701

  Shenzhen 907–8

  Sheppey, Isle of 360

  Shetland xxii, 328, 372, 373, 377, 379, 386

  Norn dialect 379

  Shih Chong 137–8

  Shi‘ite Muslims 173, 599

  Shikoku island 218

  Shintō 191, 200, 205, 206, 207, 208, 214, 228–9

  shrines 205, 228, 647

  shipbuilding

  Ålander 874

  Belfast 869–70, 899

  British 869, 896

  and Cabrillo 581

  Chinese 259–60; in Quanzhou 247

  European assumptions of superiority 731

  in Funan 140

  Japanese 212, 896

  at Lisbon 484

  Madeiran 484

  at Okhotsk 806

  Ptolemaic 111, 260

  shipowners 111, 182, 244, 861–2, 872

  Arab 105

  of Bristol 460, 461, 463

  Chinese 241

  Dutch 717

  Greek 873, 895

  in Ionian Islands 873

  Korean 209

  Portuguese 470, 504

  safety requirements 861–3

  shipping safety 860–63, 870

  ships see boats/ships

  shipwrecks xviii, xx, xxii, 162, 172, 230, 554–5, 617, 874

  off Australian coast 735, 737, 738–41, 743

  Batavia 738–41, 743

  Belitung 162–4, 165

  Cirebon 162

  Esmeralda 543–4

  in Far North 804

  Intan 164–5

  Nanhai I 165

  Quanzhou 247

  salvaging 776

  Sinan 217–18

  Viking 357, 360

  Shōsō-in, Nara 217

  Shunten 230

  Siam 220, 229, 232, 233, 262, 267, 270, 648–9, 706

  and Ayutthaya 276, 277–8

  and China 262, 278

  Gulf of 139

  and Melaka 293–5

  and Singapore 289

  under Thai rulers 279

  trade 233, 277–8

  and tribute 277, 295

  Siberia 399, 408, 800–803, 804, 805

  Sicily 182, 186, 475, 485

  sickles 324

  Sidebotham, Steven 117

  Sierra Leone 504

  Sigismund of Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor 441

  Sigtuna 422

  Sigurð, earl of Orkney 373, 375, 379

  Sigurð of Norway, ‘Jerusalem Traveller’ 402

  silk 99, 121, 136, 149, 170, 184, 187, 454, 547, 623, 687, 724

  Armenian 707


  and Bosi 147

  Byzantine silver plate 349

  and Ceylon 147

  Chinese 108, 153, 163, 170–71, 172, 220, 239, 242, 244, 562, 633, 642, 643, 701, 707; and Japan 638, 652; in Manila 617, 623, 624, 707, 715; and Mexico 592, 621, 623–4, 780; and North America 780; and the Portuguese 652; and Quanzhou 247, 278; and Siam 278; and the Spanish 617, 623

  Christian missionary activities and the silk trade 645–6

  and Hansards 429

  and Japan 194, 200, 201, 628, 630, 633, 847

  Jews’ interest in 176

  and Julfans 706

  Korean 244, 247

  Macanese 640

  Persian 706

  and Russia 802

  and Ryukyu Islands 231

  screens 641–2

  and Singapore/Temasek 286

  and Sofala 548

  and the Swedes 724, 725

  turbans 540

  Silk Road xx, 135–6, 170, 199

  and Buddhist texts 146

  Chinese ‘One Belt, One Road’ 908

  and ‘Polar Silk Route’ proposals 908

  silkworms 630

  Silla, Korea 192–3, 194, 195, 197, 198, 199, 204, 211

  silver 81, 97, 135, 170–71, 244, 365, 477, 547, 713, 715

  aboard Batavia 738, 739, 740, 743

  American 611, 616, 624, 707, 754, 769; Mexican 592, 619, 624, 635, 707; Peruvian 592, 619, 624, 635, 672, 678, 696, 700, 715, 724–5, 763; silverware 816; and the Swedes 724–5

  and Antwerp 668, 672

  and the Baltic 364

  billon alloy 586

  bracelets 548

  bribes 782–3

  bullion 188, 354, 364, 477, 500–501, 619, 624–5, 635, 647, 763

  and Charlemagne 354

  and China 220, 623, 624–5, 643, 696

  of Chrysé and Argyré 134

  coins see coins: silver

  English 448–9, 451

  of Funan 140

  hack (weighed) 60, 68, 153, 364, 390, 648

  and India 188

  ingots 165

  Iranian 188, 364

  and Jamaica 777, 778

  Japanese 638, 641, 642, 647, 801, 847

  and Macau 763

  and Manila 635, 763

  mines 170, 364, 449, 635, 700, 763, 802

  of Porto Bello 774–5

  and the Portuguese 640–41, 668, 672, 700

  Roman 108

  and Seville 635

  in Shetlands 372

  Siberian 801–2

  ‘Single Whip’ taxes and silver payments 624

  and the Spanish 81, 635, 696

  and Śri Vijaya 153

  Sterling 449

  and the Swedes 724–5

  of Tartessos 81, 322

  tribute 360

  and the Varangians 364

  and Venice 672

  Viking raids on 362

  Silver City Airways 899

  Silves 467, 468

  Simla, SS 867

  Sinan wreck 217–18

  Sindbad the Sailor 133, 156–7

  Singapore 272, 818–24, 828

  and Ayutthaya 290

  Batavian steamship link 868

  and Britain/England 287–8, 821–2, 828, 893; and East India Company 819–20, 821

  and China 286, 288–9, 822–3

  as a container port 904

  ethnic diversity 822–4

  expulsion from Malaysian Federation 895

  Fort Canning 281, 287–8, 289, 291

  History Museum 288

  and Java 284–5, 286, 288, 289

  and Majapahit 280

  and Melaka 285, 289, 822

  and Norway 871

  P&O office 892

  and Palembang 285

  Peranakan families 823

  previously Temasek 279, 282, 283, 285, 286

  and Raffles 281–2

  rubber 824, 893–4

  and Second World War 887, 892; and post-war period 893–6

  and Siam 289

  and ‘Silk Route of the Sea’ 281–9

  and slavery 823

  and Sri Tri Buana story 283–4, 287

  and steamships 868

  and Strait of Malacca 281–2, 286, 290

  Tan Tock Seng Hospital 823

  trade 288–9, 824–5, 826

  and the UN 894–6

  and Vietnam 286

  Singapore Stone 288

  Singhasari 279

  Sinthos see Indus River

  Siraf 156, 164, 171–2, 184

  Sitka, Alaska 807–8

  Skania 430

  Skara Brae 310–11, 321

  skins/hides 353, 470, 795 see also furs/fur trade

  bear 406

  boat construction with hides 67, 321, 331

  Chinese 107

  Cuban 591

  deer hides 278

  and the Dutch 683

  gazelle 323

  goat 473, 756, 839

  from Hispaniola 590, 591

  leopard 323

  lion 323

  Merino sheep 475

  seal 397, 502, 785, 791

  tiger 194, 278

  walrus 398

  whale 91

  Skrælings

  Inuit see Inuit

  in Vínland 411–13

  Skuldelev ships 370–71

  Skye 382

  Skylax 88, 90

  skýr 399

  slavery/slaves 106, 108, 128, 185, 410, 513, 545, 581, 708

  Anglo-Saxon 347

  in Angola 503

  Arab slavers (Dashi) 266

  and Atlantic islands 481, 483

  and the Azores 497

  Bantu slaves 131

  and Barbados 767

  Berber slaves 502

  and Bermuda 766

  Brazilian 490, 553, 560, 748

  and the British 347, 829, 831, 832, 841

  burials 491

  and the Canaries 473–4, 486, 497, 499

  and Cape Verde 489, 490, 491, 492, 497, 502, 503, 504, 584, 593, 702, 753–5, 756, 841

  Caribbean 490, 491, 583–5, 592, 593, 720–21, 767, 769, 777

  and castration 832

  Danish slave trade 709, 712, 716, 720, 722

  female slaves 137–8, 347, 379, 386, 553, 823

  and Frisians 344

  and the Genoese 503, 588, 777

  and gold 582

  and Guinea Bissau 504

  in Iceland 386

  in Jamaica 777

  Kongo slaves 493, 503

  Korean slaves 210

  and Liverpool 865

  in Madeira 486, 497

  Malagasy 760, 761–2, 780

  and Manila 697

  of Mina coast 507

  native American slaves 816

  and Oman 829, 831

  and the Portuguese 489, 490, 491, 492, 497–9, 502–4, 510, 511, 547, 560, 584, 700, 701, 753–4, 841

  and the Royal Navy 829

  on St Helena 756, 762

  and São Tomé 481–3, 493, 495, 497, 510, 511

  Shih Chong’s female slaves 137–8

  and Sierra Leone 504

  and Singapore 823

  slave-merchants 266, 490, 491, 753, 754, 777

  slave-raiders 554, 559

  slave ships 510, 511, 560, 757–8, 762

  slave trade xix, 153, 473, 483, 489, 490, 491, 492, 497–9, 503, 505, 524, 560, 583–5, 588, 593, 697, 701, 709, 716, 722, 749, 753–5, 777

  and the Spanish 490, 491, 492, 503, 505, 531, 552, 553, 554, 582, 583–5, 592, 593, 777

  sub-Saharan 471, 583–4

  and sugar trade 582, 584, 589, 749, 762, 768, 831

  Taíno 531

  and the Vikings 347

  Welsh slaves 379

  in west Africa 500

  and West Indies 841

  Slavs 366, 418, 421–2, 423

  ‘Drive to the East’ 418, 425

  in GDR 423

  German wars 423

  Slovenia 338

  Smaragdus, Mons 115

 
Smith, Adam 825

  smuggling 109, 181, 231, 249, 619, 686, 751, 776, 783–4, 894

  Smyrna 676, 701, 838

  snails, edible 112

  Snefru 73

  Snorri 413

  Society 758

  Society Islands 20, 21, 25

  Socotra 75, 125–31, 132, 598

  Hoq cave 128

  pirates 130

  trade 130–31

  Sodré, Vicente 544

  Sofala 157–8, 546, 548

  Sogdian merchants 135–6

  Soliman, Rajah 617–18

  Solís, Juan de 567–8

  Solomon 73, 80–81, 82

  Solomon Islands 3, 10, 11, 728–30, 731

  Somalia 62, 71, 79, 96, 167, 182, 266

  Sōpatma 119

  Sorbians 423

  Sørensen, Marie Louise 492

  sorghum 114

  souterrains 329

  South Africa

  trade 841, 874, 880

  South America see also specific countries by name

  Cape Horn see Cape Horn

  Columbus’s ‘discovery’ of 528, 532

  Gran Colombia 852

  and Hamburg 880

  maritime highway to Caribbean islands 521

  New Granada 852

  and Polynesians 27–9

  and the Spanish 28–9, 522–3, 550–56; and Casa de Contratación 555; and gold 553; loss of northern colonies 852; and slavery 553, 554; Vespucci and the ‘Antipodes’ 550–53

  trade with northern European ports 880

  South China Sea xxii, 6, 43, 121, 125, 136, 148, 240, 679

  and China 240, 822; Chinese claims/control 136–7, 238, 908; and Pax Sinica 293; Quanzhou trade 244–50

  Melaka as link with Indian Ocean 272, 295, 569, 636

  and Mongol rule 279

  and the Portuguese see Portugal/Portuguese: and South China Sea

  shipwrecks 162–5

  Singapore as link with Indian Ocean 272

  and smuggling 894

  trade see trade: South China Sea

  trading empires 131, 133; Śri Vijaya see Śri Vijaya, Sumatra

  and Wu Chinese 137, 142

  and Zheng He’s voyages 254–5, 256–69, 280–81, 293, 636

  South Equatorial Current 16

  Southampton 454–5, 458, 885, 887

  air raids 891

  as Hamwih 353

  Southern Ocean see Antarctic Ocean

  Souyri, Pierre-François 235

  soya beans 648

  Spain/Spaniards

  and Aden 182

  and African coast 471

  amphorae 115

  Andalusia see Andalusia

  and Antwerp 673

  and Armenians 707

  Basques see Basques

  and Britain/England 557, 656; Armada 627, 676; and the Caribbean 764–5, 770–71; and Cromwell 769, 770; and the Inquisition 656–7; and Jamaica 773–9; and licensed piracy 765, 775–6; and Nootka Sound/Convention 794; and the Pacific 665, 687, 730–31; Panama and war between 851; resistance to Philip II of Spain 654; tussles between English and Spanish sailors hitting Antwerp trade 673

  Bronze Age 319, 323–4

  and Cape Verde 754

  and the Caribbean see Caribbean: and the Spanish

  Castilians see Castile/Castilians

  Catalans see Catalans

  and the Chinese 622–8, 652, 806

  Christian reconquest 477; and battle of Las Navas de Tolosa 468