by Giles Milton (Author)
In 1616, an English adventurer, Nathaniel Courthope, stepped ashore on a remote island in the East Indies on a secret mission - to persuade the islanders of Run to grant a monopoly to England over their nutmeg, a fabulously valuable spice in Europe. This infuriated the Dutch, who were determined to control the world's nutmeg supply. For five years Courthope and his band of thirty men were besieged by a force one hundred times greater - and his heroism set in motion the events that led to the founding of the greatest city on earth. A beautifully told adventure story and a fascinating depiction of exploration in the seventeenth century, NATHANIEL'S NUTMEG sheds a remarkable light on history.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
Edition: First Paperback
Publisher: John Murray
Published: 16 Mar 2000
ISBN 10: 0340696761
ISBN 13: 9780340696767
Book Overview: The extraordinary adventure-filled story of how England came to own Manhattan in the seventeenth century