Spread of Maize in the Old World

Timeline

1. 1490–1520Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean · MediterraneanColumbus brought maize specimens back to Spain upon returning from his first voyage in 1492; trial cultivation of maize began in Spain in 1494, and it spread to Portugal and Italy in the early 16th century. Because yields far exceeded wheat and it was highly adaptable, it soon attracted the interest of traders and missionaries for dissemination.
2. 1530–1570Ottoman Empire and North Africa · Ottoman EmpireMaize entered the Ottoman Balkans via Mediterranean trade networks (initially called 'Turkish corn'), then spread eastward to Anatolia and North Africa; the Ottomans promoted maize cultivation on mountainous and poor land as a substitute for millet and barley.
3. 1550–1600Southeastern coast of China · ChinaMaize reached China's southeastern coast via Portuguese trade routes through Malacca; during the Jiajing era (roughly the 1550s) it was already recorded in local gazetteers of Zhejiang, Fujian, and elsewhere, called 'imperial wheat' (yumai) or 'foreign wheat' (fanmai). Its drought tolerance enabled rapid spread in the mountainous regions of southern China, becoming an important cash crop for upland reclamation.
4. 1621–1700Across Europe, Asia, and Africa · AfricaBy 1621, maize had established stable cultivation systems across multiple regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa. West Africa introduced it through Portuguese trading posts, effectively easing food pressure in coastal areas; maize cultivation in the Ottoman Balkans and the mountainous regions of southwestern China continued to expand in the 17th century, providing a food foundation for population growth in each region.