Final answer:
Calicut is historically important as a center of the spice trade with Europe, where the Portuguese established a trading post to monopolize the trading of spices like pepper.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calicut is an important example of a bustling port city because it was a significant center for spice trade with Europe. It was not a center of the European slave trade, a hub for trans-Saharan trade, or a major stop on the Silk Road. The rich history of Calicut includes it being a notable port city where European explorers sought to trade for pepper and other spices, aiming to establish a sea route that would bypass the overland trade routes controlled by Muslim traders.
During the early sixteenth century, Pedro Alvares Cabral established a trading post at Calicut with the hopes of monopolizing the spice trade, which had previously been dominated by Muslim traders and had made its way to European markets via cities like Alexandria. This Portuguese intervention spurred conflict with the local rulers and merchants. The spice trade was highly prized not just for its economic benefits but also for its potential to shift the balance of power between the Christian and Muslim worlds.