Zheng He and the Treasure Fleets of Ming China
Nearly a century before Columbus crossed the Atlantic, Ming China launched the largest naval expeditions the world had ever seen. Commanded by the remarkable admiral Zheng He, a former captive who rose to become one of history's greatest explorers, fleets of hundreds of ships and tens of thousands of sailors projected Chinese power across the Indian Ocean. They reached India, Arabia, Southeast Asia, and East Africa, forging diplomatic ties and showcasing the might of the Ming Empire. Then, almost as suddenly as it began, it ended. Political rivals convinced the imperial court to abandon the…
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