why was calicut an important city of the indian ocean basin trade network?

Calicut was an important city in the Indian Ocean basin trade network because of its strategic location on the Malabar Coast of southern India, making it a vital hub for maritime trade. It dominated the spice trade, especially as the world's leading source of black pepper, a highly sought-after luxury good for culinary, medicinal, and ritual uses in Europe and the Middle East. Its favorable position allowed it to serve as a key stop for merchants from diverse regions—including Arabs, Chinese, and Europeans—who came to trade spices and other luxury goods. The city also benefited from good natural harbors and the ability to shelter ships between monsoon seasons, facilitating successful and repeated maritime commerce. Calicut’s rulers practiced religious tolerance, which encouraged merchants from various cultures to settle and return, fostering a cosmopolitan trade environment. The city was known for its specialized markets, warehouses for storing goods during seasonal trading cycles, and its role as a cultural and economic crossroads where goods from the West and East were exchanged. Innovations in ship technology, such as the use of dhows, further enhanced its trading capacity. These factors combined made Calicut a wealthy and influential trading city central to the Indian Ocean trade network.