From the 5th to the 15th century Europe entered a period of unprecedented colonialism. This was the time when sails, rope and cordage made from cannabis begin to appear on Italian ships. Eventually hemp sails would replace flax sails as shipbuilders began realizing that flax sails were weak and 
began rotting after three months while sails made from cannabis were far more durable. In 1533, to meet the increased demand for stronger rope and sailcloth for his fledgling navy, the English king, Henry VIII, required all landholders to set aside one-quarter acre for the cultivation of flax and cannabis for every sixty acres of land they owned.
The Battle Of Talas (700A- 751AD), pictured above, was a military engagement between Muslim forces and China’s Tang Dynasty for control over a vast region of central Asia. The battle was a defeat for the Tang Dynasty resulting in Muslim control of the historical trading route known as the Silk Road for the next 400 years. Historians believe the Muslims may of had equipment made of hemp which would have given them an advantage in the brutal battles of war. Also of interest is that Chinese prisoners captured during this conflict shared the secrets of Chinese paper-making technology to their Arabian captors who then shared that technology with Europeans. You can see more on page 18 (picture below) of our new e-book all about weed: Cannabis: The Untold Story of our Greatest Plant by Mark Nichols. Check it out HERE.
