[Cronos]

The Portugese had been the great explorers of the last half of the 15th century and had grabbed everything the Venetians had lost control of.

THe Portugueses and Spanish had a lot more scruples than the Venetians. Venice built it's city on blood money. They were the ones who diverted the Crusades into attacking Constantinople to rob the riches of Byzantium. These Venetians were the ones who weakend Byzantine, makign it easy prey for hte Turks. they were also instrumental in causing the animostiy between east and west Christendom (can you blame the Eastern Christians who find that hte Franks are as bad, or worse than the muslims?)

[Servant of the 9]

THe Portugueses and Spanish had a lot more scruples than the Venetians.

They were all Democrrats at heart.
A Democrat being someone who, if you don't give him what he wants, will steal it from you.

Think Howard Dean with a sword.

So9