Fantastic. Bravo. Some musings:
Well, as I've said before, glad I'm not some half-starved sap in Europe (Germany). "The world had gone mad." But madness is what makes history interesting, right? Still, the German princes may get their heads on straight yet after this whole debacle. I must admit, though, that I'm surprised France hasn't taken more interest in the affairs to her east.
Not only Central Europe, but now Northern Europe grows rather crowded. Lack of space seems to be at once one of Europe's greatest assets and weaknesses. Who can say how it will turn out for our little version of the world?
The best part of the whole thing has to be the Venetian capture of Constantinople. Unbelievable! That acheivement, vain and futile as it was, deserves some proper recognition.
It also deserves some criticism: "The great proof of madness is the disproportion of one's designs to one's means." -Napoleon
In the East, Muslim has taken up the sword against Muslim. It was inevitable, but sad nevertheless. Unlike my own scuffle with Bengal, though, the Persian-Jihadist War seems driven by the Sunni/Shia split. That's not to say that earthly things have been left out altogether, but it will be interesting to see how that develops.
Africa and the New World are a bit boring, but it feels like change is in the air. The Noble Savage is becoming somewhat less noble, and markedly less savage. Can't quite put my finger on it though....
Finally, Asia. Shiva reigns in India for now. Everything that is must be unmade for the rebirth of Mother India. Like a forest fire clears the way for new growth, so the fires of war spread throughout the land. Who can say when Brahman and Vishnu will return once more? What is certain is that whoever is left standing when the dust settles may even sway the course of a whole (sub-)continent. That is an intruiging prospect, indeed.
The Silk Road promises many things. Can it satisfy everyone? Or will it become another object of bitter conflict? What does this mean for the future of the nascent seaborne trade? (P.S. Sorry, total warfare has distracted me from starting my piece of the road. C'est la vi.)
Ayutthaya, Tibet, Japan, and China remain as inscrutable as ever. They all have yet to move their pieces in a way that would tip their true plans. But that means only that their plans must stretch deep enough and be grand enough to justify their great patience (hopefully). Maybe the single butterfly, whose wings will set a whirlwind of events into motion (Edward Lorenz, if you're interested) has yet to be born.
And then there is the ocean; where all men's schemes fall short and his hubris is laid bare. All of us like Odysseus have set out, shouting to the sea god into the roar of the waves of our great and pitiful deeds. Will Athena see us through to Ithaca? What marvellous things shall we behold on the way?How many of our companion will be lost to the deep?
“Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll!
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin, his control
Stops with the shore.” -Lord Byron
