I don't know many people who can resist a glass of eggnog at Christmas time...I know I sure can't! And although, we all love the slight buzz that comes from this festive drink, the star of the show comes from a small seed. Nutmeg is a spice considered to be a staple in kitchens around the world but most do not know that this everyday spice sparked a dispute that rocked the balance of European power. Who knew that something so small could mobilize armies and caused the clash of two European powers?
Exploration defined Europe in the 15th and 16th century as the Age of Discovery. The efforts of Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Ponce de Leon, and Ferdinand Magellan not only represented their own personal accomplishment and the pride of their country but a lot of freakin money! These men sought more efficient ways of reaching India, the East Indies, and China for trade of gold, silver and the topic of this post, spices. Certain spices were exclusive to the East including nutmeg which was exclusively grown on the Banda Islands of Indonesia. At this time, it had gained a reputation as a powerful spice, even warding off the Black Plauge during the 14th century. Europeans would wear pouches of nutmeg around their next to keep away illness. This may seem ridiculous to us but it has been found that the potent nutmeg they were usually actually could have kept away the disease-carrying fleas spreading the plague.
Although, all of Europe scrambled East, the British and Dutch led the way with their trade companies, Dutch East India Company and British East India Company, respectively. These companies competed in developing trade routes and controlling product flowing back to Europe. Henry Hudson, was chosen by the Dutch East India Company to find the Northeast Passage to Asia by sailing west. Hudson, who was ironically British and sailing on behalf of the rival of his own country, happened upon a small island that he later explored and named New Amsterdam. This island off the coast of a large landmass was close to other colonies such as John Smith's Jamestown.
On the opposite side of the world, the tension between the British and Dutch continued. The Dutch had taken over the Banda Islands and therefore controlled all of the nutmeg supply. All except for one small Banda Island named run that the British desperately held on to. The two major powers warred several times during the Age of Discovery. One particularly brutal clash involved the small island of Run. The Dutch finally took control of the final island exclusively taking over the nutmeg trade. The Dutch allowed them to sell the spice with a 6000% upcharge making it an extreme luxury. In exchange, through the treaty that brought the battle to and end, the Dutch conceded another small island, New Amsterdam, now better known as a little city called Manhattan.
So, how are we able to run to Jewel and buy as much of this stuff as we want for about $2.99 if it was only grown on one small set of islands? Well, the British truly made out like bandits in this deal. In another dispute in the East Indies, the British smuggled out nutmeg and replanted it in Caribbean Island British colonies including Grenada, which is now is the leading producer of nutmeg in the world. Sorry 'bout it, Dutchies!
Next time you generously sprinkle some nutmeg in your latte at Starbucks, take a second to think, this little spice not only stopped the Plague dead in its track but was at one point worth more than Manhattan.
Find out more about spices that changed history and all other sorts of small things that rocked the world. Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History
