We’ll start with the Spanish Empire. Then, scroll on down to learn about two very successful English plunder-raids; about a German women printer who died in 1592; and about Japan launching a big invasion of Korea that year. It’s the centennial of Columbus’s first contact with the “New World”! How better could those rapacious, globe-girdling … Continue reading 1592: Japanese invade Korea, Spain’s Empire at 100, etc →

I think the “big” story this year, 3 years after the defeat of the Spanish Armada and generally undaunted by the 1589 defeat of the English Counter-Armada, is to see how many different naval expeditions the various investors’ groups of London were launching, to numerous different parts of the Spanish-dominated world… But before we look … Continue reading 1591: English adventurers abroad, & more →

We’ll start with the peace treaty concluded in 1590 between the Ottomans and Safavids, look at England’s still-sputtering attempts to establish colonies in North America, then look at a couple of ways in which the pursuit of empire placed costs on the citizens of societies pursuing empire (though still, of course, far far smaller than … Continue reading 1590: Ottomans, Safavids, costs of empire, etc →

I’ll start with two developments in places not on the North Sea/ Atlantic coast then come back to that hub of geopolitical ferment. Bozhou chieftain rebels against the Ming dynasty 1589 CE saw the start of a rebellion against Ming rule by the Tusi (chieftain) of the Bozhou region. The tusi system of indirect rule … Continue reading 1589: China, Russia, France, England/Spain →

Things of great impact were, of course, happening all around the world in 1588 CE (including in Portuguese Ceylon.) But since what I’m tracking here essentially the rise of the “West”, and the world into which it was rising, then today’s post has to keep its focus on events happening in the North Sea and … Continue reading 1588: England, Spain (the Armada), Netherlands, & France →

I realize I’ve been pretty England-heavy recently, so today I’ll start with the coming of the Safavid Empire’s Shah Abbas. Since it is International Women’s Day, I thought I should look for some women’s news from 1587 CE. The main item in that department has to be the execution in February 1587 of Mary, Queen … Continue reading 1587: Shah Abbas, Francis Drake →

It’s 1586 CE. The Ottomans and Safavids are still fighting (deep inside terrain previously held by the Safavids.) Russia’s new-ish tsar, Feodor I, founds three new cities, pushing the area of Russian control further to the south and east. But the main action of the year is clearly the Battle Royal between the English and … Continue reading 1586: Elizabeth’s spymaster scores a big win →

For a change here, I’ll describe the year’s main events first, then come to the Akbar/Mughal sidebar later. War between Spain and England Different (and all well-sourced) Wikipedia pages give different accounts of the “precipitating event” for this war that would, over the 19 years to follow, do so much to shape the emergence of … Continue reading 1585: Anglo-Spanish war erupts (also some Akbar here) →

Here were the events of 1584 CE that were most relevant to the emergence of “Western” domination of the world: Queen Elizabeth asks Raleigh to found England’s second settlement in the Americas. A succession crisis looms in France. Spain intervenes. Ivan the Terrible dies after a 51-year reign. Spain gives Philippines its own administration, no … Continue reading 1584: Raleigh, Ivan, and more →

England, I know, is waiting impatiently in the wings before truly making a big debut onto the “stage” of global empire-building. In 1583 CE, 44-year-old Humphrey Gilbert (the anti-Irish sadist whom we’ve met before) set out with five ships to go out and “claim” Newfoundland for Queen Elizabeth. His crews were “made up of misfits, … Continue reading 1583: Mainly Portuguese India →