Indian Ocean Maritime Trade (1140s)

Timeline

1. 1141–1146Aden · YemenAden and Red Sea ports received goods from Egypt; Arab merchants used the monsoons to sail between India's west coast and East Africa, carrying spices, frankincense, ivory, and cotton, forming the western axis of Indian Ocean trade.
2. 1143–1148Gujarat coast · GujaratPorts along the Gujarat and Malabar coasts were meeting points for Arab and Indian merchants, exporting cotton cloth, pepper, and gems; the power vacuum after the Chola Empire's decline gave local port cities greater trading autonomy.
3. 1145–1150Strait of Malacca · Malay PeninsulaEastbound routes through the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea carried Indian goods to Malay ports such as Srivijaya, then onward to Chinese and Japanese markets; together with the overland Silk Road and Red Sea routes, they formed the great Eurasian-African trade cycle of the 12th century.