PolledHistory: World History: Early Modern Era (1453-1815)

 Hello! Usually, we went across time and switched region multiple times. This time, we will individually look through the entire history of a region during this era (1453-1815) once and then leave to another region.

European/Western/Near Eastern History

On May 29, 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, ending the Medieval Era, Roman continuity, and starting the Early Modern Era. The Ottomans a few decades later exponentially expanded under Selim (to Egypt) and under his son Suleiman (deeper into Europe). 

The Ottoman expansion into the Eastern Mediterranean caused the European powers of the west to find another way to India. Most explorers would go around Africa, but Columbus had the idea to go west to find the Indies. The idea didn't work and they accidentally found the Americas. 

The Renaissance was happening throughout Europe and especially in Italy, which was a scientific advancement for Europe, making way for the Enlightenment, which, however, promoted secularism and resulted in liberalism. Nevertheless, it was the beginning of a few centuries of European global domination. The Ottomans would weaken following the death of Suleiman I,  and would remain a formidable power for a while, but by the end of the timeline, was significantly weaker. 

The 1500s in Europe was also home to the Protestant Reformation, which had religious effects and, unintendedly, political ones (such as the Thirty Years' War). By the 1600s, the Enlightenment began and peaked. The 17th century also begam further colonization such as in the Americas, parts of Africa, and Southeast Asia.

The powers in north Europe was a strengthening Russia, Sweden, and Poland. This three way rivalry ended in Russian domination under Peter the Great and his sucessors though Russia would become a backwater by the 19th century. Furthermore, the 18th Century included the union of Britain and Scotland into Great Britain (1707), the beginning of industrialization, the Seven Years' War, which helped trigger the American Revolutionary War. Soon after, the French were under political trouble, and in the end the monarchy was overthrown through violent means. Napoleon became emperor after many escalations to higher roles. 

The early 1800s' spotlight was the Napoleonic Wars, where Napoleon Bonaparte had lots of success in campaigning until he was defeated and exiled away. This, however, created an imbalance in Europe, and the idea of nationalism and democracy was planted and would revolutionize the modern world.

Middle Eastern/North African/Central Asian History 

In the beginning of the 15th century, the growing Ottoman Turkic empire was faced with a near life threatening problem: the Timurid Empire. Far away, Tamerlane, or Timur, a claimed descendant of Genghis Khan, began to expand his empire starting from Central Asia and would reach all the way until Anatolia, defeating the Ottomans and kidnapped their Sultan, Bayezid. However, the Ottomans managed to regain power in Anatolia. The Mamluks ruled Egypt until Selim quickly took over. Mesopotamia was also taken by Ottomans during Suleiman's reign. Timur's empire quickly declined as the new superpower in Persia was going to be the Safavids.   The Safavids were constant rivals of the Ottomans. They would eventually fall first in the 1700s, and the Afsharids briefly replaced them under a competent ruler Nader Shah but also collapsed to the Qajars. 

Central Asia during this time was ruled by several Khanates. By the end of the timeline, the Ottomans were weakened, the Safavids disintegrated and was replaced by the Qajars, and let's shift our attention to North Africa, which was mostly ruled by the Ottomans. Northwest Africa, however, was under Morrocan control. The dynasties of Morocco (such as thr Almoravids and Alaouites) reached a sizeable territory at certain times.

South Asian History

The Mughals were the dominant power for much of this timeline, which was a Muslim South Asian empire rivaling the Safavids which were to the west.  They were centered around Agra, which is the city known for the Taj Mahal, which was built by them. They were wealthy and strong, but began to decline due to weaker manpower and leadership. Their final fall will be discussed in the next episode.

Nevertheless, the Mughals was very powerful at its height, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers. But during its time began colonization, especially in the Indian coasts by the British and French, though the British would be victorious against the French in the Seven Years War.

East Asian History

The Yuan dynasty was defeated after a rebellion, and the Ming replaced them. The Ming dynasty was the last Chinese dynasty to be ruled by the ethnic Han Chinese, and the second last Chinese dynasty overall. They were relatively prosperous, especially during the former half of the dynasty's life. It was wealthy, very populated, and there was cultural growth. The Ming Yongle emperor is often regarded as the best, expanding the army. He also sponsored Zheng He's voyages.

However, it would decline and in the 1640s, the Qing from Manchuria took the opportunity to overthrow the Ming, starting the Qing period of domination.  The Qing reached their height in the early 1700s under Yongzheng and Qianlong, expanding into Tibet, Mongolia, and Xinjiang. However, it would face massive problems in the next episode.

Japan was ruled by different shoguns until union in the the 1590s under Totoyomi Hideyoshi, succeeding to unite Japan but failing to take Joseon Korea. In the early 1600s, Tokugawa united Japan, starting a period of isolation where foreign traders and peoples could not come in except for a few. It would end in 1868, beyond today's timeline.

Continental Southeast Asia was ruled by multiple countrie such as Cambodia and the Dai Viet, while the Malay Archipelago was devoid of proper union following the end of the Majapahit, and the Dutch would prevail in colonizing it.