European Change and Asian Prosperity

Religious Reformations in Europe

Trade in Asia

1450-1600

Impact of growing contact

• In Europe, the acceleration of commerce in this period completely transformed the patterns of life that had characterized the Middle Ages

• In Asia, the acceleration of commerce led to the growth and expansion of Asian dynasties, especially in Mughal India and Ming China

Dynastic rivalry & religious discord

• Fuelled by the wealth from the opening of the Atlantic world, the dynasties that survived the ‘calamitous’ fourteenth century set about consolidating their territories in Western Europe

• The medieval dream of a united Christendom under the spiritual leadership of the Roman pontiff was eclipsed by the outbreak of the Reformation which would splinter Christianity into sects

The Hapsburg Dynasty

• One of Europe’s oldest ruling families that controlled vast territories in the Germanic parts of Europe and had long held the title of Holy Roman Emperor

• Their dream was to unite Europe under a single empire (looking back to the Roman Empire)

• With the wealth they amassed from their holdings in the Americas they were almost able to do it

Charles V

• The grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella – became ruler of Spanish lands in 1516 Holy Roman Emperor in 1519, ruling over a vast dynasty

• The challenges he faced included the spread of the Ottomans in the east, France in the west, and the difficulty of administering the a vast and far-flung empire

• Internally, he had to deal with the outbreak of the Reformation and breakaway princes

Splintering of Christianity

• One of the enduring questions of the Middle Ages was the status of the Bishop of Rome (Pontifex Maximus) as overseer of Roman Christendom

• From the fourteenth century onward there was growing criticism of the papacy – of its corruption, of its living contrary to the scriptures and the example of Jesus Christ, of its greed, and of its involvement in temporal matters

• The printing press allowed the spread of propaganda like never before

Reformed Christianity

• Though different sects disagreed on matters of theology, they all believed that their approach to Christian religion would bring them closer to salvation

• Protestants emphasized a personal relationship between the believer and God (unmediated by a priest) and promoted the reading of the Bible in vernacular languages

Key Reformers

Martin Luther John Calvin

Era of Religious Wars

• As the reformation gained powerful supporters, it led to a series of wars in German territories (1525-1555), France (1562-1598), and discord in England until the “Elizabethan Compromise” (ruled 1558-1603)

• While these wars sapped the vitality of Europe, it was also carried over into their search for new territories to conquer

Philip II

• In 1556 Charles V abdicated the throne, leaving his German holdings to his brother and his holdings in Spain and the Netherlands to his son Philip II

• Philip was a devout Catholic and aimed to restore the Catholic Church within his territories

• Faced a major uprising in the Netherlands against Spanish rule by Protestants there

• The destruction of Philip’s Armada against Britain 1588 signalled the decreasing power of the Spanish and the growing power of Britain

Mughal India

• One of the great beneficiaries of the acceleration of trade was Mughal India who used their wealth to grow and consolidate their territory

• Under Akbar the Great (ruled 1556-1605) the empire flourished and developed contacts with foreign traders and with European Christian culture as well

• An efficient bureaucracy ensured a continual flow of revenue to the emperor

• Akbar’s court was the site of a great flowering of culture – religiously, intellectually and scientifically

• Although Islam was the official religion, there was toleration and inclusion of other religions and a broad range of philosophies

Ming China

• The economic boom that began in the fifteenth century continued to boom in the sixteenth

• The internal economy flourished as supplies of silver made it possible to develop a ‘wage economy’ and develop a strong manufacturing sector

• The Ming were effective in keeping outsider influence limited to a few key commercial ports

By 1650 China accounted for one third of the world’s population and was on a steady rise; this was a sign of its continuing prosperity – but also the source of a demographic crisis that future generations would have to deal with

European presence in Asia

• While the Portuguese had led the way in establishing trading posts in Asia, soon other Europeans followed suit

• Spain conquered colonies in the Philippines, and British and Dutch explorers claimed territory for their governments

• By 1600, however, Asian rulers still held the upper hand in their dealings with Europeans

Circumnavigation of the globe

• In 1521 Ferdinand Magellan discovered the route that would make it possible to circumnavigate the globe

• By 1600 that route would become a bustling global trade route

Conclusion

• Despite dynastic and religious rivalries, Europeans continued to grow wealthier, expand their territory, and most importantly gained a foothold in the booming Indian Ocean market

• The states of India and China were stable, though the increasing revenues of their economies would open them up to problems

• By 1600, global travel and trade had become a reality