Parisz almája: a Maluku-szigetek
The Apple of Paris: The Maluku Islands

Summary/Abstract: Before the great Portuguese discoveries, the only references to the Maluku Islands come from Javanese, Malaysian and Chinese literature; their earliest mention in Arab literature is already contemporaneous with the age of Portuguese expansion. Having listed the references, the author presents the first Portuguese expeditions for the conquest of the Islands. It was in all probability the information of Francisco Serrão that gave to Magellan the idea of reaching Maluku from the West. The aim of Magellan’s expedition was to prove that by the terms of the Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494 the Maluku Islands, known previously as Spice Islands, fell into the Spanish sphere of interest. For the Spanish court, which wanted to gain access to the far-eastern spices, Magellan’s plan came at the best possible moment.

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