[Sca-cooks] black pepper wars

[Terry Decker]

There were a number of wars fought in Southern Asia and the adjacent islands 
over the spice trade which may be what you are talking about, but I suspect 
you may be thinking of the Silk-Pepper War better known as the 
Hapsburg-Valois War.  It is a series of engagements between about 1498 and 
1559 (IIRC) primarily between Protestant and Catholic factions in Germany 
funded by the Hapsburgs and Valois from the profits of the silk and pepper 
trades.  The House of Valois supported the Protestants in their venture. 
With Catherine de Medici, a devout Catholic, as regent support for the 
Protestants was ended.

It's one of those obscure bits of history that I haven't thoroughly 
examined.

Bear

> When my kid brother was in college, probably a good 15 years ago now, he 
> took a class and found that sometime in period, somewhere in period wars 
> were raged over black pepper.  We seem to have lost the class notes.
>
> Since many of you are food historian types, does this ring a bell with any 
> of you?  Hopefully somebody can point me in the right direction.  (Most of 
> the time, many people are more than happy to tell me where to go.)
>
> Samrah