The real expertise lay in the ability of the Middle Eastern traders to protect their trade secrets. Through these traders, civilisations grew. As Rome had to rely on the middle east for spices, cinnamon being the most expensive, vast amounts of roman gold flowed into trade hubs like Alexandria which grew in wealth, technology, and populace, developing the entire region. Crusades were fought in the 11th Century AD between Christians and Muslims, and outwardly though they seemed at way, the trade of spices through cities like Jerusalem made fortunes for Middle Eastern and European traders alike and catalysed the creation of trade routes across the centre of the world.

Eventually Europe would be compelled to travel in search of the spices they had to pay so dearly for. When Marco Polo returned to Europe in the 14th century with stories of his travels throughout Asia, the mystique of Asia overcame the European elite who organised voyages to the alluring continent to find spices. Portugal’s king sent Vasco Da Gama to find spices like cinnamon, pepper and clove, and his voyage led him all the way around Africa and finally to the Indian Ocean. Da Gama succeeded in finding India and Sri Lanka, and by forcefully taking the spice-trade routes of the sea from the Middle East, brought incredible wealth to Portugal.

Finding Sri Lanka to be the source of Cinnamon, Portugal sought out her rival kings, allying with one side to overthrow the other while taking trade concessions and gargantuan amounts of cinnamon as repayment for their help. Portugal would start with coastal bases and forcefully work their way into the island, taking coastal cities like Colombo and Galle. The artisanal quality of Ceylon’s cinnamon was cemented at this time as the Portuguese created laws that allowed only the skilled master cinnamon peelers to peel cinnamon, and their expertise have been passed down generations to where even today proper cinnamon peeling is an esoteric art that cannot be machine automated.

Spices like pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove were highly sought after not only for their effect on food but because they signalled wealth, and they would fetch incredibly high prices. Control of spice trading routes meant incredible wealth that could lead to insurmountable power. The Ottomans would fight the Portuguese for the spice routes, growing considerably with their successes, and eventually the Dutch East India company would drive the Portuguese out of many of their strongholds, including Sri Lanka. Needing to get the Portuguese out, Sri Lankan kings allied with the Dutch who to no one’s surprise took monopoly of cinnamon for themselves. Cinnamon was the Dutch East India company’s most profitable item, and just like the Portuguese, controlling the spice trade funded development and inspired exploration and expansion. Even Columbus’ voyage to America was meant to be a trip to Asia to find spices, and to further fund his expedition Columbus would tell King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of varieties of spices including cinnamon he had found although he’d not actually found them.

Sri Lanka would later fall into the hands of the British, along with much of the modern world. All these shifts in global power, trade networks built, and fortunes created owe themselves greatly to the supremely lucrative spice trade. One could even argue that it was the catalyst for globalisation.