Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Multiple layers of middlemen inflated spice prices between Asian producers and European consumers:
Controlled Indian Ocean–Red Sea/Persian Gulf routes. Bought spices in India/SE Asia/China, shipped to Alexandria, Cairo, and other Mediterranean entrepôts.
Held a near-monopoly on Mediterranean–Europe distribution. Purchased from Arab traders in Egypt/Syria, shipped to Venice, then distributed across Europe.
Northern European guild alliance. Transported spices from Mediterranean ports (Venice, Bruges) to Baltic and North Sea markets.
Bought at major hubs (Venice, Bruges, Antwerp, London) and retailed in smaller towns, adding further markups.
Each intermediary added profit, transportation, insurance, and risk costs, multiplying the final price many times over the origin cost.