The 15th century was an era of critical transitions involving world trade and the relative power of civilizations. As in the 20th century, newly dynamic civilizations challenged those that had previously dominated. Technology played a key role.

Chapter 15 The West and the Changing World Balance

1300 - 1450

The Islamic Empire and the caliphs during their greatest extent, 622–750

Old Order?

Collapse of Post-Classical states1. Byzantines Following 2nd Crusade, slow

decline Conquered 1453 by the Ottoman Turks

2. Abbassid Caliphate Weakened by sectionalism Under control of Turkish clans

3. Mongols and Timurlane Conquered all major Eurasian states

4. Muslim cities destroyed New routes and cities arose due to Mongols

SOUTH WEST ASIA Muslim religious leaders began to exert control • Rationalism opposed by religious conservatives • Mysticism, Islamic legalist traditions in favor • Pursuit of science declines

Landlords exercised greater authority • Peasants reduced to borderline slavery, serfdom • Agricultural productivity declined • Tax revenue

Europeans challenged Arabs • Mediterranean, rise of Aragon, Castile, Venice, France • Merchants began to replace Muslim merchants

No total collapse of Islamic civilization • Arabs lost power, old Abbassid realm fragments • Ottoman Turks rapidly took over most of area

INTERNATIONAL POWER VACUUM

Ottoman Empire Sultans did not restore Muslims to same level

• Ottomans not center of international trade • Science and philosophy stagnated. • Result was power vacuum in Islamic world Rise of Rivals to Ottomans • India • Persia • Egypt Mongols provided alternative framework • Redirected land trade away from Muslims • Land routes turned attention to sea routes.

THE CHINESE

Ming dynasty drove out the Mongols in 1368 • China was best placed to control Eurasian trade • Ming emperors sought expansion • Extending the borders of the empire • Reviving the tribute system • Initiating state-sponsored maritime expeditions. Voyages reached India, the Middle East, and Africa

1.Ming emperors ordered the voyages to cease in 1433. 2.Costs of voyages hurt infrastructure 3.Scholar-gentry opposed voyages

China's decision reflected traditional • Confucianism Concentration on internal improvements • Cultural isolation• Economic expansion did not depend on foreign trade China's withdrawal from world • Cleared the path for the emergence of Europeans • China began long stagnation

“Zheng HE”• Ma He• born into a

Muslim family just beyond the borders of China (later Yunnan Province) in 1371.

• Arabian immigrated into China

• In 1378 the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) conquered his province

• taken to the imperial Chinese capital to serve as a court eunuch.

THE EUROPEANS By 15th century • West began to expand its world contacts • Important changes taking place in • Europe Church Under attack • Great Schism saw up to three rival popes Wealth led to reformers, who were condemned

1.Hus (Czech priest)in Holy Roman Empire 2.Wycliffe in England "The Morning Star of the Reformation"

Western philosophy and creativity stagnate Political organization of feudalism not effective • Feudal monarchs acquire new powers, wealth • Introduction of cannons, new weaponry Death of nobles led to rise of citizen armies under kings• Impact of the Black Death, Carried off almost one-third of Europe's

population • Hit Italy and France worst • Hit merchants and urban elites including clergy heavily

MEDIEVAL VITALITY

New States Arose • More powerful and centralized nations arose• Developed in aftermath of 100 Years' War. • France, England, Castile, Aragon, Sweden • New forms of military organization

1.Made greater centralization possible2. Improvements in metallurgical technology 3.Construction and use of guns and munitions.

Capitalism became more evident • Arose simultaneously in Netherlands, Italy • Based on cities, non-nobles, banking, trade

Increased urbanization • Especially true in Italy, Netherlands • Often associated with trade Map of the approximate political

boundaries in Europe around 450

WESTERN EUROPE GROWS

Overall trend between 1000/1700 •Rapid population expansion •Black Death only slowed trend

Europeans acquire Asian technology •Western technology equal to

Eurasian •Europeans adapt, improve on ideas•Europeans invent new ideas

Europeans apply technology •Adapted science to practical •Used technology in trade,

navigation, war

Medieval French manuscript illustration of the three classes of medieval society: those who prayed - the clergy, those who fought - the knights, and those who workd - the peasantry.[139] The relationship between these classes was governed by feudalism and manorialism.[140] (Li Livres dou Sante, 13th century)

RENAISSANCE & SECULARISM

Renaissance means: Literally, means a "rebirth", or "revival". It is a time period when interest in art, literature, education, and other similar subjects, along with interest in Ancient Greece and Rome, was reborn.

Secularism means: the belief that public education and other matters of civil policy should be conducted without the introduction of a religious element.

Began in Italy • At the beginning of the 14th century • Turned away from the medieval cultural • More secular outlook in art and literature • Wealth of Italian cities patronized the arts Typical political unit of Italian peninsula • City-state • Florence, Milan, Venice, Rome and Naples • Cities competed for land, accomplishments • Administrative, economic innovations

• During the Renaissance, Italy remained divided politically. In northern Italy, the city-states of Florence, Milan, and Venice became major centers of the Renaissance civilization.

• Rome dominated the Papal States of central Italy, while the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies embraced most of southern Italy.

Italian States• Florence

– Oligarchy– Medici family– Savonarola

• Milan– Condottiere– Spanish empire

• Venice– Great Council

• Doge– Monopoly on spice and

luxury trade

• Papal States– Renaissance Popes

• Julius II– Kingdom of the

Two Sicilies• Poor land• Spanish empire

RENAISSANCE VALUES Age of cultural innovation and

individualism.• Artists abandoned medieval formalism • Concentration in arts, music, literature

(humanities)

Initially Renaissance largely limited to Italy • Even there its style was not accepted

everywhere• Spread to France, England, Netherlands,

Germany Called Northern

Italian commercial and shipping techniques

• Laid the foundation for Western expansion The "Renaissance spirit" • Encouraged a sense of innovation and

discovery.

IBERIA Castile, Aragon, Portugal are lead states• Christian Reconquista began 714 • Castile, Aragon united by marriage, 1469 • Drove Muslims out of Iberia by 1492 The Church Militant • Constant warfare = powerful, trained armies • Defense, expansion of Christianity a duty • Church worked closely with Iberian states • Encouraged sense of religious mission Expansion abroad • Attack Muslims • Conquer lands for Christianity • Break their trade monopolies

The marriage in 1469 of royal cousins, Ferdinand of Aragon (1452-1516) and Isabella of Castile (1451-1504)

EARLY EXPANSION

Began in the 13th century • Early discoveries = promise of colonialism • Early Explorations

1.Vivaldi brothers of Genoa explore Atlantic 2.In 14th century, Genoese discovered Canary Islands 3.Ships from Barcelona explore Atlantic African coast

Development of new technology • More sea-worthy vessels • Compass • Astrolabe European discoverers • Generally dominated by Portugal

1. King supported a navy 2.Built school under Prince Henry, sent out ships

• Penetrate even farther into the Atlantic • Along the African shore

Vasco da GamaVasco da Gama was born in

about 1460 into a noble family

1. 1497appointed to command an expedition the Portuguese government

2. find a maritime route to the East.

• Da Gama was a Portuguese explorer and navigator, and the first person to sail directly from Europe to India.

COLONIAL PATTERNS

Colonization followed exploration Spanish and Portuguese • Settlers established agricultural estates

1.European diseases killed off natives 2.Europeans tried to enslave natives 3.Europeans established feudal model for estates

Designed to produce commercial crops • Sugar, cotton, and tobacco became popular crops• Iberian settlers imported African slaves

Commercial ventures were successful • Stimulate further colonization • Plantation model of exploitation

OUTSIDE THE NETWORK

Areas not part of this global network • The Americas• Polynesia • Most of sub-Saharan Africa Remained unaffected by early

expansion • Eventually brought into European system • Some experienced difficulties • Vulnerable to European expansion

Austronesia Migration

Expansion, Migration, and Conquest in Polynesia

Between 7th and 15th centuries Migrations • From Society Islands to Polynesia • From Polynesia to Hawaii

Settlement of Hawaii and New Zealand To Hawaiian islands • An agricultural society developed Hawaii had regional kingdoms

1.Stratified societies 2.Dominated by priests and

nobles3.Hawaii lacked metallurgy,

system of writing

Polynesian Outriggers-transport family, domestic animals, and goods and other necessities during migration.

Origin of Tattoos

SummaryThis period saw change and continuity in global networks. Old trade networks, like Middle Eastern Muslim networks, took place in a new context, such as the Mongol empire, which emphasized new land-based routes. Mongol decline shifted attention to sea-based routes. New states arose using new or diffused technologies. Social structures were changing, too. The key continuity was the interest and dependence of many regions on interregional trade.