Summary
Highlights
Between 1450 and 1750, European states developed significant sea-based empires, marking a major shift in the global balance of power. Unlike previous periods where land-based empires dominated, this era saw European nations assert their influence globally through maritime power.
Europeans adopted crucial maritime technologies from other cultures: the magnetic compass (China) for direction, the astrolabe (Arabs/Greeks) for latitude and longitude, the lateen sail (Arab merchants) for precise sailing, and improved astronomical charts (Muslims building on Greek astronomy) for navigation. Europeans gained access to these through trade routes and the Pax Mongolica.
Europeans also made significant shipbuilding innovations. The Portuguese developed the caravel, a smaller, more nimble ship designed to navigate shallow coastal areas and inland rivers. Caravels were also effective fighting ships due to their speed, agility, and the inclusion of cannons.
As European powers, especially Portugal, realized the need for greater cargo capacity for trade-based empires, they developed the carrack. These larger ships could carry more cargo and guns, crucial for maintaining Portugal's dominance in the Indian Ocean trade.
The Dutch introduced the fluyt, a ship designed exclusively for trade. Fluyts had massive cargo holds, required smaller crews, and were cheap to build due to innovative production methods. By the mid-17th century, Dutch fluyts accounted for roughly half of Europe's shipping tonnage, helping the Dutch dethrone Portugal in the Indian Ocean trade.