The so-called Age of Discovery was a period from the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century, during which European ships traveled around the world to search for new trading routes and partners to feed burgeoning capitalism in Europe. In the process, Europeans encountered peoples and mapped lands previously unknown to them. Among the most famous explorers of the period were Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral, John Cabo ...

Including:

• Age of Discovery - Exploration by land
• Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal
• Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas
• Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly
• Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement
• Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia
• Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe
• Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

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The nations outside of Iberia refused to acknowledge the Treaty of Tordesillas. France, the Netherlands, and Britain each had a long maritime tradition and, despite Iberian protections, the new technologies and maps soon made their way north. The first of these missions (1497) was that of the British funded John Cabot. It was the first of a series of French and British missions exploring North America. Spain had largely ignored the northern part of the Americas as it had few people and far fewer riches than Central America. In 1525, G ...

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Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement

The prelude to the Age of Exploration was a series of European expeditions crossing Eurasia by land in the late Middle Ages. While the Mongols had threatened Europe with pillage and destruction they also unified much of Eurasia creating trade routes and communication lines stretching from the Middle East to China. A series of Europeans took advantage of these to explore eastwards. These were almost all Italians as the trade between Europe and the Middle East was almost completely controlled by traders from the Italian city states. Their clos ...

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Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Exploration by land

The effect of the Age of Exploration was unprecedented. For millennia it had been the Mediterranean economy that had been the continent's most vibrant and regions like Italy and Greece had thus been the wealthiest and most potent. The newly dominant Atlantic economy was controlled by the states of Western Europe, such as France, Britain, and Germany, and to the present they have been the wealthiest and most powerful on the continent. Following the period of exploration was the Commercial Revolution when trans-oceanic trade became comm ...

See also:

Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe

In 1552 Russian tsar Ivan IV the Terrible conquered the Kazan khanate, which opened new opportunities in conquests in the East. In 1580 Yermak entered Siberia with a band of 1636 men, following the Tagil and Tura rivers. Next year they were on the Tobol, and 500 men successfully laid siege to Isker, the residence of Khan Kuchum, in the neighbourhood of what is now Tobolsk. Kuchum fled to the steppes, abandoning his domains to Yermak, who, according to tradition, purchased by the present o ...

See also:

Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia

Portuguese exploration and colonization continued despite the new rivalry with Spain. The Portuguese became the first westerners to reach and trade with Japan. Under the King Manuel I the Portuguese crown launched an audacious scheme to keep control of the lands and trade routes that had been declared theirs. The strategy was to build a series of forts that would allow them to control all the major trade routes of the east. Thus forts and colonies were established on the Gold Coast, Luanda, Mozambique, Zanzibar, Mombassa, Socotra, Ormuz, Cal ...

See also:

Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly

It was not until the carrack and then the caravel were developed in Iberia that European thoughts returned to the fabled East. These explorations have a number of causes. Monetarists believe the main reason the Age of Exploration began was because of a severe shortage in bullion in Europe. The European economy was dependent on gold and silver currency, but low domestic supplies had plunged much of Europe into a recession. Another factor was the centuries long conflict between the Iberians and the Muslims to the south. For them the ability to ...

See also:

Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal

Portugal's rival Castile had been somewhat slower than their neighbour to begin exploring the Atlantic, and it was not until late in the fifteenth century that Castilian sailors began to compete with their Iberian neighbours. The first contest was for control of the Canary Islands, which Castille won. It was not until the union of Aragon and Castille and the completion of the reconquista that the large nation became fully committed to looking for new trade routes and colonies overseas. In 1492 the joint rulers of the nation decided to ...

See also:

Age of Discovery, Age of Discovery - Exploration by land, Age of Discovery - Exploration begins in Portugal, Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas, Age of Discovery - Decline of the Portuguese monopoly, Age of Discovery - Northern European involvement, Age of Discovery - Conquest of Siberia, Age of Discovery - Effect on Europe, Age of Discovery - End of the Age of Exploration

Read more here: » Age of Discovery: Encyclopedia II - Age of Discovery - Discovery of the Americas