Easternized World
From Alternative History
Instead of the West gaining power and colonizing much of the world, the East does so. Tang Dynasty China (中国) survives longer, eventually being replaced by another native Chinese dynasty that crushes the Mongols and moves on to take over much of the world. Japan (日本) and Srivijaya (ஸவிசய) also become great powers and compete against each other and with China for colonies and riches. This comes to produce a more Easternized world.
[edit] Background to this Althist
In Our Timeling (OTL), Tang Dynasty China [1] was one of the most civilized cultures in the world between its foundation in 619 CE and 755 CE, when the An Shi Rebellion broke out. The An Shi Rebellion, not much known in the West, possibly led to more deaths than any other conflict in the history of the world besides World War II [2], even though it was just regional and the population of the world was much less back then. Even though the Tang Dynasty survived it for another hundred years or so, as you can imagine, the rebellion severely weakened China. What if China had remained the premier world power? And what if the Chinese-influenced East became the dominant world culture instead of the West, as in OTL?
[edit] 755 CE: Major Point of Divergence
(Main Article: Timeline 755-1200 (Easternized World))
An Lushan, the engineer of the OTL An Shi Rebellion, is suspected of treason by Yang Guozhong, a Tang official. Yang Guozhong convinces the Tang emperor to have a spy become close to An Lushan. The spy eventually gets information about the planned rebellion, and An Lushan is executed. Although there are scattered small-scale rebellions during times of drought, the An Shi Rebellion never takes place.
[edit] 755 - 985 CE: Late Tang Dynasty
(Main Article: Timeline 755-1200 (Easternized World))
The Tang Dynasty (唐朝) continues relatively unscathed for more than 200 years after the attempted rebellion. Durning this time, many technological advances take place, including militarily, as with the invention of gunpowder. Primative guns and bombs develop soon after. Buddhism continues to flourish, while Confucianism and Daoism also make somewhat of a comeback.
[edit] 985 - 1200 CE: Zheng Dynasty
(Main Article: Timeline 755-1200 (Easternized World))
[edit] 995-998: Northern Campaigns
The Great Chinese army defeated the Mongols, Jurchens, and other would-be invaders to the north, and continue west through Siberia. This spells the downfall of the Mongols, who never recover.
[edit] 999-1015: Western Campaigns
From 999 to 1015, Chinese troops defeated the major Muslim empires, starting with Ghazna (Afghanistan) and continuing through and past Baghdad. This spelled the end of the Abbasid Caliphate.
[edit] After the Major Campaigns
After the military campaigns, the Zheng Dynasty of China signed various peace treaties, and put down the remaining rebellion strongholds within their sphere of influence.
[edit] 1036-1039: Arab-Egyptian Campaign
In 1036, there was a tremendous attack upon the Zheng Dynasty by Muslim Arabian tribes. The Chinese responded, and destroyed the will of the Muslim army by taking Arabia and even attacking the Fatimid Empire in Egypt and pushing them out into Ifriqiya (Tunisia) by 1039.
[edit] The Muslim Persecution
The most holy Muslim cities of Mecca and Medina were burned to the ground to show the consequences of armed rebellion against the Chinese. Also, the Muslim culture throughout the Chinese empire was severely suppressed, with Chinese civilization put forward as an alternative.
[edit] 1053-c.1100: Economic and Cultural Revival
During the war years, which the vast majority of Chinese had been born under, the nation had shown its amazing strength that it had largely gained during the Tang Dynasty and then unleashed during the Zheng Dynasty thus far. However, culture had stagnated (partly because of the warrior like atmosphere that overtook the philosophical one) and by the end of the war years, China came to be in debt. However, with a change of emperors in 1053, things improved, and the Silk Road, which was almost completely under Chinese control, helped China's economy to surge again.
With the sea route, the Malay kingdom of Srivijaya prospered. During this period, the Srivijayan town of Temasek (or Sea Town - OTL Singapore) started to grow rapidly.
[edit] 1100-1182: Japan and Srivijaya's Become Sea Merchants
With the incredible popularity of the Silk Road, a sea route quickly emerged, and Japan and Srivijaya started to gain power and prestige as the nations with the largest trading fleets.
[edit] 1182-1200: The Fall of the Zheng Dynasty and the Break-up of China
With Greed among the Chinese rulers and a huge wealth gap, China was on shaky ground. With a relatively major famine, things got worse. Eventually, the empire fell, and the territories of Arabia, Persia, and Kipchak broke away from China (though at first they were still ruled by Chinese governors).
[edit] 1200s: A Time of Instability and Discovery
(Main Article: Timeline 1200s (Easternized World))
[edit] The Arabian War
By 1200, the eastern part of China was under the command of the Dynasty of Generals, and the western area of former China was a collection of 3 independent kingdoms known as Kipchak, Persia, and Arabia. Besides these were the strong states of Japan, Srivijaya, and the Byzantine Empire. The independent Arabia (under the former Chinese governor) was shown to be weak when a major Muslim rebellion took place. The Arabian governor sought the help from the Byzantine Empire, which itself sought help from Western Europe as the Arabs approached with the motive of cleansing the land of all infidels. Eventually, with the help of European fighters, the rebellion was put down.
[edit] Srivijayan Discoveries
Srivijaya, a nation highly dependent on international trade for its wealth, lost business as the Middle East was in turmoil. Eventually, it was decided to try to get at Europe via another means. Soon, Madagascar was discovered (and, incredibly, Austronesian languages were also spoken there, as in Srivijaya). Eventually, the Srivijayans made it around the southern coast of Africa and re-established trade with Europe.
[edit] Japanese Discoveries
Japan, hearing of Srivijaya's discoveries, also tried to find a route to Europe, this time going east. Instead of Europe, they found Yodderick (the New World) and soon started colonizing parts of it.
[edit] 1300s: Colonization and the Rebirth of China
(Main Article: Timeline 1300s (Easternized World))
The 1300s were the beginning of a new era in global affairs. Asian states rapidly prospered, and for the first time, their authority transcended continents. East Asian influence would find itself in far off places such as Africa, North Yodderick (North America) and South Yodderick (South America). Major colonial efforts took place, and settlement of other lands began in earnest. This would enrich the Asian empires, usually at the expense the indigenous people of their colonies. Especially in Yodderick, disease previously unknown to the natives would ravage populations, and a few diseases were also transferred to Asia.
[edit] China's Changing Government
By the late 1200s, China had been pulled apart because the Generals had become de-facto rulers of separate countries within China. In 1311, the most powerful of the Chinese Generals, Hǔ Chóngshēng (乕重生), called a meeting of the generals. Those Generals who did not show up had war declared against them. Eventually, Hǔ Chóngshēng became the ruler of all of China, but instead of becoming the emperor, he created the Chinese National Council. It was not very democratic, but it was a step up from previous governments, and China started to prosper again.
[edit] Srivijaya Prospers
Throughout the 1300s, Srivijaya became the major trading power in the world. It did much business with Tolosa, Granada (Southern, Muslim Iberia), Aragon, and Norman England (which still controlled OTL western France). At the same time, Castile, Portugal, the Papal States, and the Marinids (Muslim Empire of Morocco) thought of Srivijaya as a threat, and mobilized forces on various occasions to keep them from docking.
[edit] European Matters
Western European nations, once considered backwaters to the Byzantine Empire and Italy, now were quickly becoming the most prosperous. The Strait of Gibraltar had become hugely important, and various countries would vie for power over it. A 1208 Crusade was fought to weaken Muslim control over the strait. The 1208 Crusade helped keep major Cathar cities from being besieged and now Catharism began to be entrenched across Europe.
[edit] Japanese Domination of the North Pacific
By the middle of the century, Japan has solidified its position as the ruler of the North Pacific coastal lands. It fortified and enlarged its settlement of Yamami, while establishing other permanent settlements such as Shintoko (新東港 [Shintoukou], OTL San Jose / Silicon Valley, CA) and Heino (平野, OTL Los Angeles, CA). Still, with all this, it still did not have a route to Europe, and so had to trade via its rival Srivijaya's African route. However, Japan gained many mineral and other resources that were found on the North Yodderick (北洋大陸 [Kita You Tairiku] lands.
[edit] The Break-Up of Kipchak
By 1350, Kipchak had practically wasted away. This is because the country had originally been just a part of the Chinese Empire where Turkic nomads lived. With the lack of authority in the area, however, there were rebellions and a general loss of governing power over the lands. The Tatars, Kazakhs, and others emerged. They would soon be under Chinese control again, however.
[edit] Korea Arrives on the Scene
Korea had been a minor country until the fall of the Zheng Dynasty in 1189. When China weakened, Korea had more freedom, and the Chinese reforms of the early 1300s did not diminish Korea's power. While not a tributary state, Korea remained allied to China and even established some colonies in the New World.
[edit] New Chinese Colonization
Throughout much of the 14th century, China mostly focused on re-taking the territories that had been pried away at the end of the Zheng Dynasty. What was left of Kipchak was re-taken (but Arabia and Persia weren't). China also spread its influence in the New World, establishing colonies in Mexico and some other areas of tropical America.
[edit] 1400s: Plague, War, Turmoil, and the start of the European Renaissance
(Main Article: Timeline 1400s (Easternized World))
The 1400s started out with things going pretty well in most of the Old World, and chaos in the New World. Often, at first contact, native populations melted away seemingly overnight, and the colonizers gained new territory. Japan gained much land and riches, but was increasingly at odds with China and Korea. The Chinese tried to call a conference with the leaders of Japan to carve up the New World into separate spheres of influence, but the Japanese felt that they were in a good position and declined the offer. Japan, after all, had a large head start in the New World. Because of Japan's unwillingness to cooperate, China declared war in 1411.
[edit] Sino-Japanese Colonial War
China invaded Japan and some of its colonies. Instead of trying to conquer Japan (perhaps an impossible feat, and one which China didn't think much of), it instead tried to humble Japan by burning its cities and settlements. China didn't get much farther than the shore, however. The main battle of the war consisted of Osaka being burned to the ground, but places such as Kyoto weren't touched, partly owing to the stiff Japanese resistance. In the end, with China thinking that it had proven its point, and with Japan thinking that it had fended off an invasion, the war was over.
[edit] The Great Plague
For the past 100 years, Asians were only used to seeing plagues hit the native people of the New World. These plagues were of smallpox and such, and were less lethal to Old Worlders. While the Asian colonizers often tried to fight smallpox and help the native people (successfully teaching them new techniques like rubbing smallpox pus in wounds while healthy so as to increase resistance later), what was a great problem for the natives of Yodderick was a more trivial problem, and occasionally an opportuity, for the Asian powers. This way of thinking came to an end when in 1432, a great plague, often called "The Great Plague" swept Asia, Africa, and Europe. This plague changed the world for good, making clear the need for plans to prevent and fight diseases.
[edit] Japan Recovers
Japan was the first major nation to recover. In 1464, Japanese explorers rounded the Great Southern Strait (大南海峡 [Dai Minami Kaikyou], Strait of Magellan). Then, in 1473, another voyage was the first to make it around the world by rounding the Southern Strait, crossing the Atlantic to Europe, going around Africa, and passing through Srivijayan waters.
[edit] Indian Nations prosper
Another region not as hard hit by the plague was India. Taking up much of the north of the subcontinent was the Delhi Raj, a kingdom made up of a conglomeration of smaller statelets. Taking up the south was the Vijayanagar kingdom. Hindus made up the majority of the population in both kingdoms, although Jainism, Buddhism, and other faiths also were able to flourish.
[edit] China Rebounds
In China, medicine experienced a coming of age in the decades including and following the plague. Strict cleanliness laws were passed, and this aided China in the long run. At the end of the plague, China was in an even stronger position vis-a-vis Europe than even before the plague, as it had somehow come through the ordeal with less chaos. By the end of the 15th century, China was again at Europe's door, and was able to make some eastern European states into tributary states.
[edit] Europe Post Plague
Europe was a mixed bag post plague. In general, Europe became more religiously diverse and more xenophobic. Out of formerly Catholic populations came various sorts. The majority became more skeptical and less religious. Many others converted to Catharism, as it seemed to be less corrupt. A minority got involved in fringe cults. At the same time, classical civilization and art came to be studied, leading to a Renaissance.
[edit] The Middle East's New Paradigm
It was during the plague that the Byzantine Empire (which I may also refer to as Byzantia) lost Arabia for good. Byzantia had hoped for an Orthodox population, but it turned out that some Orthodox ideas mixed with those of the Western (Catholic) crusaders who stayed in the conquered territories. And added to that was a dose of radicalism and nomadic backwardness. However, Byzantia held onto Egypt and widened a Red Sea - Nile - Mediterranean canal.
[edit] Srivijaya Tries for a Comeback
With increasing peace in the Middle East and the reopening of the Egyptian canal, and with the more wary Europeans, Srivijaya started to feel that it was losing out to its competitors. But during the last few decades of the century, Srivijaya set out on exploring southern Africa in depth. (This would eventually lead to them discovering diamonds in the early 1500s.)
[edit] 1500s: The Renaissance
(Main Article: Timeline 1500s (Easternized World))
The 1500s was a time of great prosperity. Trade began to pick up again as most of those people who had lived through the worst times of the Great Plague had already passed away from old age. The new generations had come a long way in preventing diseases, and the late 1400s and early 1500s saw stability reign across much of the world. In many nations, not only in Europe, there came to be seen a break from the recent past, and a yearning for the ancient past. This yearning was expressed most directly in a bevy of Greek- and Roman-inspired edifices that became more ubiquitous over time. Even the Asian countries showed an interest in this style, and mixed it with their own to produce many new forms. Often, the ornate rooves of Asian building styles were mixed with ornate columns, walls, and other and support structures to produce spectacular constructions. Domes, too, though never common, found some acceptance and respect in the Far East. As mentioned above, ideas changed, too, as most of Europe (and East Asia) became more secular in nature (while the Middle East saw renewed radicalism). Some areas in Europe that didn't take a much more secular turn included Castile, Portugal, and the Papal States and Naples.
[edit] Srivijaya's Growing Wealth
In 1524, a large diamond deposit was found in southern Africa. This would eventually lead to the "Gold and Diamond Rush" of the mid-1500s. By the year 1600, there were more than 500,000 Malays living in Africa, principally in the south.
[edit] The Sino-Japanese Agreement
Tensions were rising again between Japan and China, as both nations wanted the Yodderick (New World) continents. The Sino-Japanese Colonial War a century prior taught the countries that disputes about colonies only served to weaken both countries, so in 1530, it was agreed to split up the New World between the two powers. For the most part, Japan took temperate and arctic Yodderick, while China took tropical Yodderick. Korea continued to hold a few territories.
[edit] Japan Strikes it Rich
In 1536, only 12 years after the Srivijayan southern Africa gold and diamond rush began, major gold deposits were found in the Japanese colonies. The new town of Tougane (東金; Sacramento, CA) sprouted up as a base for further mining exploration.
[edit] The Two Europes
The Catholic Church lost power rapidly in a succession of states. By the mid-1500s, Catholics represented minorities in Tolosa (long a strongly Cathar and secular state), Aragon, France, England-Normandy, Scotland, and Ireland (while Castile had succeeded in crushing Muslim Granada). States still strongly Catholic included Spain (Castile), Portugal, the Papal States, and Naples. The Holy Roman Empire was in a crisis, as there were many ethnic groups and differing religious beliefs, and these boiled over during the late sixteenth century.
[edit] Castile-Aragon War
This was a war of territory and religion. In it, Castile invaded Aragon proper and the Papal States invaded Aragonese Sardinia and Corsica. At the end of the conflict, Aragon had survived, partly due to the help of Tolosa, England, and France. However, the Papal States had managed to take Sardinia and Corsica.
[edit] 1600s: Eastern Colonial Ambitions Realized
(Main Article: Timeline 1600s (Easternized World))
The 1600s was a time of considerable technological progress, dwarfed only by the progress made in the subsequent centuries. For the first time ever, it seemed that every generation inherited a significantly more modern life than the previous one. The modern world was beginning to dawn. The scientific method came to be embraced across much of the world, and breakthroughs in the sciences - particularly in astronomy, physics, medicine, mechanics, printing, and armament - led to rapid societal progression. Partly since most of these discoveries hailed from the Orient, the Asian empires were able to increasingly dominate the globe. By the end of the 17th century, this Asian domination would spread even to Western Europe.
[edit] Yodderick in the 1600s
Yodderick (the Americas) was still being colonized. The main indigenous languages of Yodderick were Quechua, Nahuatl, Aymara, Guarani, Tupi, and Muisca (standard Chibcha). In Yodderick, three kinds of writing were used for the native languages. In Chinese-dominated areas, native languages came to be written down completely in hanzi (Chinese characters), or completely in Western characters (which the Chinese found could come in handy for pronunciation). Meanwhile, the Japanese tried a mix of Chinese characters and Japanese "kana" characters used to write syllables.
Overall, the 1600s saw stabilization of relations with the major native groups, and further whittling away at the smaller native groups, or perhaps consolidation with a major group.
[edit] Native African States
Srivijaya's technology and culture made a lasting impression in some parts of Africa. The Wolof Empire had already been around for a few centuries by this time, but it was in the early 1600s that Wolof became a significant force in the continent. Wolof came to have close ties with Srivijaya, and this relationship definitely increased its strength in relation to its neighbors and rivals.
[edit] North Africa and the Middle East
As Spanish power increased in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, it began to conquer North Africa, and even send some explorers to the New World to claim territory (all of which was negated by the Chinese and Japanese presence). From the eastern Mediterranean came the Byzantine Empire, which met up with and had a stalemate with Spain in western Libya. As for Mesopotamia, Byzantia was in complete control, and the region was feeling more and more Greek by the decade. Persia, meanwhile, was experiencing a cultural revival after years of sectarian conflict.
[edit] Asian Influence in Europe
Things came to a head between Srivijaya and Spain in 1659, when (decades after establishing firm control of both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar) declared that Asian ships were no longer allowed to enter. Instead, all trade would have to be done through Spanish or Vatican (Papal States) ships. This was a repeat of what a previous pope had tried to do. To Srivijaya, it was an unforgivable example of haughtiness. In response to Papal and Spanish provocations, Srivijaya attacked both countries. While Spain survived, the Papal States and Naples were taken by Srivijaya.
Seeing the gains that Srivijaya was able to make in Europe, Japan immediately wanted a piece. It surreptitiously took control of the Netherlands, when the Netherlands accepted help from Japan to defeat the Holy Roman Empire, which the Netherlands had been trying to keep independent from. Japan next set its sights on England.
[edit] 1700s: Easternization and Industrialization
(Main Article: Timeline 1700s (Easternized World))
The 1700s was a time of rapid change. By the end of the century, the world was a completely different place than it was at the beginning of the century. By 1799, most of Europe and Yodderick were dominated by the "big three" Asian colonizers. Furthermore, early in the century, Srivijaya found a whole new continent, Gurun Selatan (Australia), previously unknown to the outside world.
[edit] Eastern colonialism at its Zenith
In 1701, Japan invaded an unprepared England. With the realization that Japan had gained such an important chunk of Europe, Srivijaya quickly appealed to Aragon, Tolosa, and France to become protectorates. Aragon and Tolosa accepted (as they already had close economic and military ties with Srivijaya, and felt pressure from Spain and Japan), while France declined (as the leaders both cherished their complete sovereignty and didn't want to be provocative towards any other power). At the same time, China was courting the Holy Roman Empire and secretly promising the supply it arms and military assisstance in the event that one of the other two powers invaded. From this, then, came the splitting of Western Europe into four spheres: Srivijayan (mid/southern Italy, Aragon, Tolosa), Japanese (Netherlands, England), Chinese (Holy Roman Empire...and east until China Proper), and Non-Associated (Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, France, Denmark...and Scandinavia).
In 1724, a huge success was had by Srivijaya, when it found a previously unknown continent known as Gurun Selatan (Australia).
[edit] 1800s: Easternization and Industrialization
(Main Article: Timeline 1800s (Easternized World))
