Ch. 11 – Commerce, Conquest, and Colonization
1300-1600
Chapter Opener
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
The Mongols:
- Nomads of the steppes of Central Asia in present-day Mongolia
- Sheep herders, skilled horsemen and raiders
- Chinese built the great wall to keep them out
- Chingiz (Genghis) Khan – “universal ruler” – united the Mongol
clans by 1206, began annexing Chinese land
- Westward expansion of Mongols into Europe halted when Genghis’
son died in 1241
- Kublai Khan – grandson of Genghis, conquered all of China, received
Marco Polo in his court – Marco Polo’s writings captivated Europeans
who maintained a fascination for Eastern goods
Venetian Ambassadors to the Great Khan
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
The Head of Timur the Lame
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
Map 11.1 The Mongol Successor States
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
Rise of the Ottoman Turks:
- Ottoman Turks: originally a nomadic group dependent on raiding,
gradually converting to Islam
- Benefitted when Mongols wiped out the Islamic empires of the
Seljuks in Anatolia and Abbasids in Baghdad
- This freed them up to raid soft targets, yet were far away from
and not a threat to the Mongols
- Targeted crumbling Byzantine holdings
- Ottoman clan became leaders of Turks, served as mercenaries for
Byzantines, could not be reigned in by them
- Battle of Kosovo, 1389: Ottomans Defeated Serb coalition force,
took control of Balkans
Ottoman Rule:
- 1453 – Ottomans capture Constantinople, which they called
Istanbul (“in the city”) – plundered city, enslaved inhabitants
- Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II – “The Conqueror” – created empire
- Population of Istanbul grew to ½ mill – largest city outside China
- Conquest of Byzantines shocked Europeans, but did little to hurt
trade w/ the east:
- that had always been conducted through Egyptian
and Lebanese free cities
Sultan Mehmet II, “the Conqueror” (r. 1451–81)
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
Ottomans – War, Slavery, Society:
- Spoils of conquest and slavery dominated Ottoman economy
- Slaves used for gov’t admin, army, household, not as much for labor
- Reliance on slavery led to perpetuating cycle of war & slavery
- Slavery – very little social stigma – they were often more important
and influential than many Turks
- Muslims were banned from enslaving Muslims: a paradox – Christian
slaves had exclusive access to soc/political influence in Ott. empire
- After conquest of Arabia, Egypt, & Jerusalem, Ott. Sultan adopted
the title of caliph, successor to Muhammad
- Religiously tolerant, protected Orthodox Christians, who in return,
were fiercely loyal to Ottomans
Ottoman Showdown with the West?
- Didn’t happen – here’s why:
- Crusader armies were crushed by Ottomans
- In W. Europe, split in Catholicism prevented unified
anti-Ottoman effort
- Ottomans were unable to prevent East-West trade
- Ottomans preoccupied w/ conflict with Persians
- W. Europe preoccupied with Atlantic colonial pursuits
Map 11.2 The Growth of the Ottoman Empire
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
European Exploration:
Causes:
- Silver shortage due to mining limitations and flow of silver to spice
islands created demand for new coinage
- Genoa, Venice, Catalonia (SE SP) – shipping & trading empires,
colonized Med. islands, E. Atlantic Islands off Africa
- Technological advances – caravel ship, navigation maps and tools,
advanced artillery made ships floating battle platforms
- Crusading spirit, search for legendary wealth of Prior John, Marco
Polo’s journals
Portugal & the Route to India:
- Portugal captured North African ports, and colonized Islands
off the west coast of Africa
- Gold and slaves were primary interests – sea route to spice islands
and India occurred by accident
- Bartolomeu Diaz – blown off course around tip of S. Africa by storm
- Vasco da Gama – rounded S. Africa, sailed across Indian ocean to
India & the center of the spice trade
- Militarily blockaded other spice routes, monopolized spice trade in
Europe
Prince Henry the Navigator – Portuguese pioneer of their efforts to
Colonize, set up the slave trade, organized many exploration trips
Old Slavery:
- Mostly disappeared in NW Europe, still utilized in Ottoman Empire,
Spain, Italy, elsewhere in Mediterranean
-Slaves were mostly Euro Christians from E. Europe
- Not used in large-scale agricultural or factory-type production
- Not racially based
The New Slavery:
- Racially based (Africans) - contributed to racist ideology
- Centered in Portugal at first
- Agricultural, colonial, plantation model
Spain, Exploration, and Conquest:
- F & I funded Columbus’ voyages to challenge Portuguese supremacy
- Originally disappointed they found new land, not shortcut to East
- Columbus’ samples of gold & natives – offered hope of treasure
slaves, and potential converts to Catholicism
- Spanish cannons, horses, steel, and germs overwhelmed New
World empires of Aztecs and Incas
- Cortes conquered Aztecs, Pizarro the Incas
- Vast precious metals wealth extracted by Spain to give them
Hegemony in Europe for decades
Map 11.3 Overseas Exploration in the Fifteenth
and Sixteenth Centuries
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company
Spanish Galleon
Western Civilizations, Brief Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 W.W. Norton & Company