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Europe to Asia WORLD MAP 1500's-1700's

Marcus Meslener

Created on November 14, 2023

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Europe to Asia WORLD MAP 1500's-1700's

Netherlands(Where DEIC is from)

asia

EUROPe

Japan

China

Middle East

africa

India

Map Guide

South East Asia

The Dutch East India Company

Europeans and China

South East Asia

Limitations/Challenges of Contact between China and Europe

China relaxed maritime trade restrictions and allowed for more trade with Europeans, including the British East India Company. However, China restricted this trade to the port city of Canton. China accepted payment only in silver. Britain’s currency was based on gold, so Britain had to purchase silver from elsewhere in Europe and from Mexico.

Common Goods Bought at Chinese Ports:

  • Gold, Silver
  • Silk, Tea
  • Porcelain, Textiles

Dutch East India Company

In 1602, traders in the Dutch Empire formed the Dutch East India Company. This was two years after England established its East India Company. Despite their similar names, they were different companies from different nations. Like England did with its East India Company, the Dutch government granted the Dutch East India Company a monopoly on its country's trade in Asia. The Dutch East India Company became a colonial power in Asia during the 1600s and early 1700s with trading stations and settlements in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Japan.

The Dutch East India Company was allowed to:

  • Establishing governments in the places where the Company traded
  • Negotiating with local leaders in the places where it traded
  • Maintaining its own private military and building forts

Europeans in Southeast Asia

As Europeans moved further east beyond India, they sought contact not only with China in East Asia, but also with the region of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia includes part of Asia’s mainland as well as islands. Spheres of influence were areas where a particular country claimed control or power outside of its own country despite not being the formal political leadership; in this case, European countries held power and influence in Southeast Asia despite not being the official rulers of the Southeast Asian nations.

Bowing Down to China: When diplomats met with the Chinese emperor, the emperor required them to perform a kowtow—a deep bow that symbolized submission and reverence. Some diplomats refused, as the action would indicate their country’s submission to the emperor and express China’s superiority over their country. Diplomats who refused to kowtow were unable to negotiate the expansion of trade and interstate relations.

Europeans in China

Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to reach India, part of South Asia, by sea. Later, Portuguese navigators continued to East Asia and became the first Europeans to reach China by sea. Portuguese navigator Jorge Alvares arrived in China around 1514, almost 300 years after Marco Polo journeyed to China by land. Through decades of negotiation, the Portuguese slowly got permission to anchor their ships, build storage sheds, and establish a trading settlement in Macau (mah-KOW), a city on China’s southern coast

Spice Islands

Europeans particularly wanted to control the trade of valuable spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper, found in what they called the Spice Islands. The Spice Islands are a group of islands in East Indonesia now known as the Maluku Islands. Because the spices were so valuable in European markets, many European nations fought for control of their trade. Thus, Southeast Asian islands felt the impact of European influence more than the mainland.

Major Competing Factions:

  • Portuguese
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Dutch

The battle for control of Southeast Asia’s resources and trade led to turmoil in the region. Southeast Asian communities faced constant threats of war and changes in power from European nations competing over their land and set up governments. Also, Southeast Asian traders provided Europeans with many goods, such as spices and textiles, for which they depleted their land’s resources and received relatively little compensation. Europe’s influence continued to grow as countries established colonies in Southeast Asia throughout the 1600s