Why Europe led the Age of Discovery and world trade development?

Answer 1

Europe became the leader due to 3 political factors (note that historically at this stage religion was completely intertwined with political states) and a handful of geo-economic factors. Islam had turned itself inwards after the destruction of Bagdad (1258) by the Mongols and focused more upon religious development than science and exploration, China stopped its outwards expansion and destroyed its exploring navy (1424), and Japan (after contact with Europe and the political meddling of the Catholic Church's Jesuits) sealed its borders in 1639. The first event eventually led to the final destruction and conquest of the Byzantine empire (1453) as the central Muslim authorities could not stop the Ottoman Turkish conquests. With fall of Byzantium the trade routes to the East were blocked (trade routes decribed by Marco Polo 1293) and Europe still wanted the spices and silks of the East. Along comes Christopho Columbo who did a great sales-pitch to the religious/conquest based new kingdom of Spain, and he sails to the Americas instead of Asia. Just as Europe expands west (1492) China ceased its expansion (1424) with just enough gap that there was no trade conflict. Europe is exploding with heretical ideas due to the printing press, which allows a huge expansion of knowledge and with the advent of Protestant faiths and the overseas land grabs on, every man and his dog suddenly wanted the potential wealth that new territory might have. So, ship designs got better and better, trade cartels became better organised and profitable, weaponry developed at a huge pace (a large part due to the Thirty Years War) and the only powers that could stop the European nations from gobbling the world had either turned their back (China, Japan) or were not developed enough to win a war of opposition. Finally, throw in a few diseases like smallpox and influenza to kill 30-50% of a resisting population and suddenly you have available land for exploitation. Just remember, even with all of these things in place it still tool Europe from 1453 (Fall of Byzantium) to 1799 (Death of the Tippoo Sultan) for Europe to really have complete dominance.

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