Life in Europe was fundamentally changed in the 16th century by the astonishing discoveries of the New World and of direct sea routes to Asia. To start with England was hardly involved and London remained a gloomy, introverted medieval city. But as the century progressed something extraordinary happened. Stephen Alford's evocative, original and fascinating book uses the same skills that made his widely praised 'The Watchers' so successful, bringing to life the network of merchants, visionaries, crooks and sailors who changed London forever.