Book excerpt: The Growth Of International Trade Between Europe, Usa And Asia Gave Rise To The Need For Loans To Finance It And Development Of Financial Arrangements Through Banking. The Emergence Of Fuggers As Important Industrialists, Merchants And Financiers Controlling Even The Elections To The Roman Empire Against The Backdrop Of Indo-Portuguese Trade During The Sixteenth Century Is A Case In Point. This Book Deals With Such Cases And The Maritime History Of Regions And Its Impact On Trade, Politics And Society.