To: RobbyS; AlbionGirl
In that respect, yes. The only real "colonies" set up by European powers were the various trading centers built by the Italian republics such as Genoa and Venice. They set up small centers, like the Genoaese quarter in Constantinople, for trade rights, and often warred with each other over them.
The Fourth Crusade ended so badly because the Dogde (sp?) of Venice wanted to put a pretender on the Byzantine throne that would grant him exclusive trade rights. So the who enterprise ended up sacking a Christian city (ask any Orthodox Christian about it sometime) and not attacking Jerusalem or Alexandria.
31 posted on
09/26/2006 3:23:18 PM PDT by
redgolum
("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
To: redgolum
I'm talking about the Arabs. Damascus was not an Arab city, nor was Baghdad, Cairo was estabslished as an Arab camp to keep the troop from Alexandria. As they moved west/east , of course, they began to pick up locals as auxilaries. Everyone loves a winner!
39 posted on
09/26/2006 6:43:25 PM PDT by
RobbyS
( CHIRHO)
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