1421

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780553815221
Format: B-format paperback
Year: 2003
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE UK
Pages: 656

Discover the incredible historical adventure chronicled in this captivating book about the 1421 voyages of a magnificent Chinese fleet. Set sail with the world's largest armada, equipped with 500-foot long junks crafted from exquisite teak and mahogany. Led by the devoted eunuch admirals of Emperor Zhu Di, these explorers embarked on a mission to seek tribute from distant lands and foster Confucian harmony across the globe.

This thrilling narrative unfolds the mystery of how these daring expeditions, lasting over two years, circumnavigated the earth—two centuries before Western explorers. Gavin Menzies meticulously documents the evidence of these lost voyages, revealing how the Chinese ships reached America seventy years prior to Columbus and discovered Australia 350 years before Captain Cook. Moreover, they figured out the problem of longitude three centuries before Europeans.

Dive into this fascinating blend of historical detective work and adventure, illustrated with ancient maps and astrological insights from the journeys of the 1421 fleet. This book is a must-read for history enthusiasts and anyone intrigued by the untold stories of exploration that reshaped our understanding of the world. Enjoy fast, FREE shipping on your order, although please note that combined shipping for other products is not available with this item. Experience the wonders of the past and unlock the secrets of a pivotal moment in history—order your copy today and allow up to 10 days for delivery.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780553815221
Format: B-format paperback
Year: 2003
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE UK
Pages: 656


Description:
On 8 February 1421 the largest fleet the world had ever seen sailed from its base in China. The ships, 500 foot long junks made from the finest teak and mahogany, were led by Emperor Zhu Di's loyal eunuch admirals. Their mission was 'to proceed all the way to the end of the earth to collect tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas' and unite the whole world in Confucian harmony. Their journey would last over two years and circle the entire globe.When they returned Zhu Di had fallen from power and China was beginning its long, self-imposed isolation from the world it had so recently embraced. The great ships rotted at their moorings and the records of their journeys were destroyed. Lost was the knowledge that Chinese ships had reached America seventy years before Columbus and circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan. They has also discovered Antarctica, reached Australia three hundred and fifty years before Cook and solved the problem of longitude three hundred years before the Europeans.Gavin Menzies has spent fifteen years tracing the astonishing voyages of the Chinese fleet. Now, in a fascinating historical detective story, he shares the remarkable account of his discoveries and the incontrovertible evidence to support them, bringing together a compelling narrative, ancient maps, precise navigational knowledge, astronomy and the surviving accounts by Chinese explorers and the later European navigators.

This product has FREE shipping however combined shipping for other products is not available with this item. Please allow up to 10 days for shipping.