How did the Portuguese sea route to India hurt Alexandria’s medieval trade?

Following the mid-14th century, Alexandria benefited significantly from the growth of the East-West spice trade, which flowed through Egypt and served as a vital commercial lifeline for the city and the Mamluk state.12

However, the Portuguese discovery of a direct sea route to India in 1498 dealt a severe blow to Alexandria’s medieval trade. By bypassing the traditional land and sea routes through Egypt, the Portuguese were able to compete directly in the Indian trade, which undermined the established commercial monopoly that had previously enriched the city. This shift in global trade patterns, combined with other factors such as the plague, government interference, and regional instability, led to a rapid deterioration of Egypt's commercial importance.12

Ultimately, this economic decline was compounded by the Ottoman conquest in 1517, after which the canal linking Alexandria to the Nile was allowed to silt up, further strangling the city's remaining commercial activity and reducing it to a small port.1