Because they had to come from Asia. There were no airplanes, there were no large ships or even sea routes in existance. The only method of transport was the long route, the 'Silk Road' across the continent of Asia and then Europe. Even a few ounces took months to traverse the distance at immense cost.
The rise of the ottoman empire blocked traditional trade routes overland through Asia (the silk road). While the ottomans were at war with christian kingdoms goods like spices and silk essentially stopped in turkey instead of continuing onwards to Venice. The increased rarity of these goods probably increased their price as well.
Also, kingdoms along the silk road would often charge a tithe or tax upon merchants travelling through their land. Merchants would charge extra for their goods to compensate for these losses.
Nomadic raiders also plauged these routes, and the increased risk discouraged all but the most determined merchants.
This was also one of the major incentive for the age of exploration, that is, to find a waterway to Asia in order to avoid the dangerous overland route.
They came a long way and passed through many hands
It was extremely dangerous to get there by land or sea, so the spices were rare and in great demand in the West
They came a long way and passed through many hands.
Because they were so hard to get. It took months to get from Asia to Europe, and many sailors died along the way.
NovaNet: They came a long way and passed through many hands.
no, cannons and gunpowder only appeared in Europe in the 1300s.
Kepner is a German name that indicates that a person is from Bohemia. The name was first seen in the 1300s in Europe.
in the 1300s
In the early 1300s, gunpowder-based weapons were used in China, but the technology was not yet known in the Middle East or Europe. Infantry in the 1300s used spears, pikes, swords and lots of crossbows (the longbow was mainly used by the English). Cavalry used lances, battle axes and maces. Siege weapons included mangonels, trebuchets and rams.
The Chinese used gunpowder as early as 800-1000 AD, for fireworks and later for weapons. It was not in widespread use in Europe until around the 1300s.
They came a long way and passed through many hands
Probably because of the tax system of the Great Emperor Genghis Khan.
they reached their peak in the 1300s
Because of the plauge
The Bubonic Plague (a.k.a The Black Plague) caused a dramatic decline in the population of Europe in the 1300s.
the Bubonic Plague.
Yes, it was.
Yes, it was.
The black death
no, cannons and gunpowder only appeared in Europe in the 1300s.
black death
Black death