The
West's First Outreach: Maritime
Power
nEuropeans had become more aware of the outside world since the beginning of the twelfth century.
nKnowledge gained during the Crusades and from contacts with the great Mongol Empire spurred interest.
nEuropean upper classes became used to imports, especially spices, brought from India and Southeast Asia to the Middle East by Arab vessels, and then carried to Europe by traders from Italian city-states.
