Eastern Eurasia1500-1800 Chapter 22 Notes
New patterns of contact in eurasia • After the Mongols, no single power controlled Central Asia, and no unified economic policy protected and promoted trade. • Also, the sea trade replaced the old overland trade route through Central Asia. • Land-based empires of Eurasia (Ottoman, Russian, Mughal, and Ming) were at a disadvantage in the competition with sea-based empires of Europe.
New Global influences • Society of Jesus (Jesuits) • Often preceded traders, explorers, & conquerors • Francis Xavier, Matteo Ricci • Most prominent transmitter of European science and technology to China and of Chinese philosophy and literature to Europe • East India Companies • Dutch East India Company(VOC) secured favor in China and Japan • East India Company of England was VOC’s biggest rival • These groups became conduits of trade and knowledge between Asia and Europe.
Triumph of the Russian Empire
Rise of romanov power • After end of Mongol power in Russia, power moved from Kiev to Moscow. • Muscovy prince Ivan IV (the Terrible) took title tsar in 1547 and extended Russia’s borders to east and north. • “Time of Troubles” included internal struggles as well as external wars. • Mikhail Romanov started a new dynasty which lasted until 1917. • Romanovs saw the east as their only option for expansion.
Russians and Turks • Surrounding Russia to the north, east, and parts of south were Turkic people. • Russian and Turkic peoples cooperated but were suspicious of one another. • Hostility increased when Ottomans emerged as a great power in the region. • Cossacks demonstrate a way Russia combined elements considered “Turk” with those considered “Russian.” • Military skills of Asian horsemen • Russian-speakers, Christians, helped build Russian empire
cossack
Peter the Great • Ottoman War • Wanted warm-water port on Black Sea • Liberate Istanbul • Protector of Orthodox Christians in Balkans • Failed – but idea remained • Great Northern War • Broke Swedish control of Baltic Sea • Established direct contacts between Russia and Europe
Peter the Great
Peter the Great • St. Petersburg • Built on land taken from Sweden, became Russia’s capital • Built in style of Western Europe – Russia’s “window to the west” • Nobles forced to wear western clothes and shave, ended seclusion of upper-class women • Autocracy • Peter wanted to break power of boyars. • Brought Russian Orthodox Church under state control • Increased burdens of taxes and forced labor on the serfs
Sheremetev Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
Church of the savior on spilled blood, st.petersburg
Russian Drive Eastward • Ivan IV began Russian exploration of Siberia • Furs & timber first valuable resources • After 1700 gold, coal, & iron became important. • From early 1600s used as a penal colony • Rivalry with Qing China • Treaties finally set official borders • Allowed Russia to expand to the Pacific • North America • Added Alaska • Russian traders active along entire western coast of North America
Russian Expansion to 1796
The later ming and early qing empires,1500-1800
The end of the ming • Ming manufacturers had transformed the global economy with their techniques for the assembly-line production of porcelain. • Europeans loved the blue-on-white porcelain and traders requested special European designs. • This market for porcelain and other Chinese goods stimulated the commercial development of East Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Europe.
Ming porcelain
The end of the ming • Natural disasters • Climate change • Agricultural distress • Uprisings • Inflation (Despite influx of silver, the Ming government maintained a strict ratio in price between silver and copper coins.) • Porcelain factories plagued by disorder and inefficiency • Slow introduction of foods from Americas and Africa
The end of the ming • Under pressure from powerful Mongol federations of Central Asia • Mongols had unified under Tibetan Buddhism. • Khan designated a dalai lama, or universal teacher to legitimize his rule. • Japanese warriors invaded Korea (a Chinese tributary state) • Manchus contributed troops (at a high cost for impoverished Ming) to help stop invasion • Korea’s “turtle boats” stopped the invasion but both Korea and Ming were weakened.
Korean “turtle boat”
The end of the ming • Rebellious forces captured Beijing. • Imperial family fled city. • Ming general invited Manchus to take Beijing from rebels. • Qing did this but kept power rather than restoring Ming. • Ming imperial family appealed to Pope for help. • Dead before Pope’s response arrived.
Power & Trade in the Early Qing • The Qing Empire was ruled by a Manchu imperial family and Manchus were the leaders of the military forces. • While it was a diverse empire, the overwhelming majority of officials, soldiers, merchants, and farmers were Chinese. • Spread into south China and Central Asia. • Fostered economic and demographic recovery. • Foreign trade was encouraged.
Qing empire, 1820
Emperor kangxi • Became emperor as a child (1662). • In 1669, at 16, he gained control over the government by executing his chief regent. • Intellectual prodigy • Successful military commander • Personally led troops in bringing Mongolia under Qing control. • Battled with and then made peace with Russian Empire • Died in 1722, reign marked by expansion and stability in the empire
Emperor kangxi
Emperor kangxi • Part of the effectiveness of the Kangxi era was due to Qing willingness to incorporate ideas/technologies from other regions. • Mongol system of political organization • Korean and Chinese agricultural practices • Jesuit influence • Maps in European style • Considered European calendar but faced strong opposition • Medical expertise • Anatomical & pharmaceutical knowledge • Mathematics, astronomy, European civilization
Emperor Kangxi • To gain converts among Chinese elite, Jesuits made compromises in their religious teaching. • Most important was toleration of Confucian ancestor worship • Caused conflict with Catholic rivals in China and Pope • Chinese knowledge brought to Europe by Jesuits • Early form of inoculation that eventually inspired vaccines • Porcelain factories
Tea and diplomacy • Success of Qing caused admiration in Europe. • Demand for Chinese goods • Silk, porcelain, tea • Wallpaper • Chinese produce items especially for Europe • Admiration for Chinese philosophy • Voltaire proclaimed Qing emperors model philosopher-kings and advocated such rulership • Desire for communications with China
Tea and diplomacy • Qing were eager to expand China’s economic influence but were determined to control trade very strictly. • Allowed imperial family to enjoy benefits of taxation • Limited piracy and smuggling • To regulate trade, Qing allowed only one market point for each trading sector. • This system worked well for European traders until the late 1700s.
Tea and diplomacy • British had become a important presence in East Asia. • Tea from China became enormously popular in Britain. • English traders felt the Qing system hindered their opportunities to make money from the millions of potential Chinese consumers. • British government was concerned about the massive trade deficit with China. • Sent George Macartney to open diplomatic relations with China and revise the trade system.
Tea and diplomacy • Maccartney mission was a complete fiasco! • Chinese would not allow Maccartney to travel to Beijing. • Maccartney refused to perform the kowtow, and Chinese officials refused to bow to a portrait of the king of England. • The basic issues were unresolvable. • Dutch, French, & Russian officials also failed to achieve changes in trade. • European attitudes toward China began to shift.
Lord maccartney and emperor qianlong
Population & social stress • Massive population growth due to new crops and Qing peace. • Qing had outgrown government. • Same number of officials as Ming with twice the land and four times the population • Couldn’t keep up with repairs and environmental issues • Led to misery in many parts of interior China • Qing fell victim to basic problems of land-based empires. • Conquered huge stretch of territory to defend itself against Russia • Costs of maintaining territory was enormous.
Decentralization and innovation in tokugawa japan, to 1800
Shogunate and economy • Japan’s centralized political system had broken down in the 12th century, when the first of the decentralized military governments – the shogunates – had been created. • In 1600 a new shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, declared victory. • The emperor of Japan had no political power; he remained at Kyoto the medieval capital.
Shogunate and economy • The Tokugawa shoguns built a new capital for themselves at Edo (now Tokoyo). • The shogun was served by the regional lords, each of who maintained a castle town, a small bureaucracy, a population of warriors – samurai – and military support personnel. • The shoguns paid the lords in rice, and the lords paid their followers in rice. Recipients had to convert a large portion of their rice to cash.
Shogunate and economy • This system led to well-spaced urban centers. • Good roads, traffic, and commerce linked Edo to three of the four main islands of Japan. • Rice exchanges developed at Edo and Osaka, where merchants speculated in rice prices.
Tokagawaieyasu
Tokagawa woodcut
The “closing” of japan • Like China, Japan was a target of missionary activity by the Jesuits. • Converts among the elite were few, and the shogunal court at Edo was consistently hostile to Christianity. • Christianity was more successful among the farmers in the countryside. The Jesuits had their greatest success in the southern and eastern regions of Japan.
The “closing” of japan • In the late 1630s, these regions were the scenes of massive uprisings by impoverished farmers. • The rebellions, which were ruthlessly suppressed were blamed on Christian influence. • Hundreds of Japanese Christians were crucified. • Belief in Christianity was banned by law. • It became punishable by death for foreigners to come to Japan or for Japanese to leave.
The “closing of Japan” • The purpose of the closing was to prevent the spread of foreign influence in Japan – not to exclude from Japan knowledge of foreign cultures. • A few Dutch were permitted to trade in Japan, and a few Japanese were licensed to provide for them. • The western knowledge they acquired spread.
Elite decline & social crisis • Population growth put a great strain on the well-developed lands of central Japan. • Government was unable to stabilize rice prices which weakened the samurai. • Like other Confucian societies, the Tokugawa tried to limit the power of merchants. • The crisis of Tokugawa Japan’s transformation from a military to a civil society is demonstrated by the “Forty-seven Ronin” incident of 1702.
Night attack of the 47 ronin
