Asian and EuropeanTransformations

Trade in Asian OceanIslamic Dynasties

Dynastic Change in ChinaEuropean Dynasties

1600-1750

Europe in the Indian Ocean

• Building on earlier contact, after 1600 Europeans begin to have a greater presence in the Indian Ocean

• There is fierce competition to control the trade in various spices and commodities

• The Dutch East India Company (VOC) takes aggressive steps to control the trade in spices like nutmeg, cloves and pepper, using military means to establish their presence

Dutch settlements established by the VOC in the Indian Ocean acted primarily as centres for shipping goods from these areas to other parts of the world

Islamic dynasties

• The stability of the three post-Mongol Islamic dynasties was shaken by the acceleration of world trade

• The Safavid Empire faced weak leadership and invasion by Afghan tribes which ultimately led to the demise of the dynasty

• Both the Ottomans and to a lesser extent the Mughals were challenged by internal problems and the spread of European power

The Ottoman Empire

• The Ottoman Empire’s long trend of steady growth began to wane in this period as the Hapsburg empire encroached upon its gains in the Balkans

• Internally, the economy of the Ottomans was destabilized by the circulation of silver, resulting in inflation, development of “black markets” and ultimately, less revenue for the central government to administer the state

Koprulu reforms

• By 1650, the empire was facing severe economic pressures that were relieved somewhat by administrative reforms that made tax collection more efficient and put a stop to runaway inflation

• It also briefly inspired expansionist goals and a great siege of Vienna – but ultimately resulted in the loss of Ottoman control in Hungary

Koprulu Fazil Ahmed (1635-1676), carried on in the office of “Grand Vizier” after his father Koprulu Mehmed.

By holding on to this important title, this family became very influential over the Sultan and shaped the administration of his government.

This was the first step in a long series of administrative moves that tied to the Ottoman empire to outside influences.

Mughal expansion

• The Mughals carried on the expansionist trend after Akbar’s death, moving steadily over the Indian sub-continent

• As the empire spread and met fierce resistance in new territories, it also grew intolerant of religious diversity

• After the emperor Aurangzeb’s death, the Mughals lost much of their authority to semi-autonomous regions

The Garden Palace of the Jagat Seths. This family grew to prominence as bankers and tax collectors for Emperors. Their name means “Banker to the World

The Emperor Aurangzeb was focused on conquest and relied on merchants families to collect taxes for him and lend him money to do so

Collapse of the Ming

• Although China was prospering, administrative and economic problems revealed the weakness of the Ming state

• The influx of silver to its economy caused inflation that hit the peasants particulalry strongly

• Combined with crop failures, the Ming increasingly had to deal with peasant uprisings that challenged their tax collectors

• The Wanli Emperor (ruled 1573-1620), feeling powerless over his bureaucracy, left the running of the state in their hands

• This led to corruption on a grand scale

The Manchu Dynasty

• Between the 1620s and 1644 China was plunged into a series of civil wars which ultimately led to the formation of the Qing Dynasty

• Ethinic Manchus numbered about 1 million and took control of a Chinese population of about 250 million

• Though there continuity with Ming policies, the Manchus, a minority, asserted strong control over their largely Han subjects

Manchu “queue” haristyle

• In an effort to display their power over the Han, the Manchus forced all Han Chinese to adopt a traditional Manchu hairsyle, the queue

Tokugawa Shogunate (Edo period)

• From the middle of the 15th century Japan had been torn apart by wars between rival military leaders

• In 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu claimed the title of Shogun and created a strong centralized military dictatorship, based in the capital city of Edo (present-day Tokyo)

• Tokugawa leaders saw Japan through over 250 years of peace, especially compared to the chaos of the so-called “Warring States” period

Closing off of Japan

• The Japanese resisted European methods and customs

• After initial contact with Europeans in the 16th century, the Tokugawa Shogun in 1635 initiated a policy of seclusion – tightly controlling all trade and cultural contact with Europe for the next two centuries

• They saw Christian missionaries as a threat to their way of life and were concerned about European power

Western Europe

• Though Germany continued to be ravaged by internal wars of religion (Thirty Years’ War), both Britain and France continued to experience economic growth, which the fortunes of Spain and Portugal plummeted

• The acceleration of their economies, stimulated by increasing international ties, led to different approaches to government in Britain and France that shook their medieval foundations

Louis XIV – The Sun King (1643-1715)

• Recognized the necessity of displaying absolutism in lavish displays of royal power

• He tried to show himself as godlike, well above the rung of common humanity

• “L’état, c’est moi!”

England• The English Civil War (1642-1651) gave

rise to a Puritan theocracy under Oliver Cromwell which lasted until 1659

• Charles II had been restored to the throne after the Protectorate fell, but his flirtation with Catholicism made many people worry about him

• His brother James II took the throne upon his death in 1685 with a Catholic agenda which Parliament would not accept

The Glorious Revolution (1688)

• Parliament invited William of Orange to take the English throne with his wife Mary

• It was a ‘bloodless’ coup as James II fled

• William agreed to accept the English Bill of Rights which established civil liberties like trial by jury, habeas corpus, and that the monarchy was subject to the laws of the land

After the Glorious Revolution Parliament began to play a much stronger role in the creation of laws and the administration of the King’s government.

Conclusion

• All countries involved in the expansion of global trade were transformed by this experience

• In some cases is strengthened traditional elites but also created opportunities for new elites to emerge and to claim political power for themselves

• This period also witness a continuing trend of increased European power and influence throughout the globe