When talking about the reign of Tokugawa Ietsuna, please talk a little about the Shakushain Revolt (1669-1672), few people know about it, but it was a landmark in the history of Hokkaido.
I would be stoked to hear more about it. It seems like a genuinely heroic and tragic tale of Ainu resistance, even if it didn't start out that way. Not to mention, it shows once again the cruel authoritarianism of the bakufu.
Excellent video, and certainly necessary, many people today still think that Japan at this time was 100% isolating, and a video like this can help them understand the situation better, congratulations!
i like how i just went from rewatching your sengoku jidai series a couple of minutes ago and now i am watching the edo period series. the vibe is completely different 😅
Finally caught up with this series after binging the whole thing over Thanksgiving and later Christmas. Really gave me a greater sense of what was going on during the Sengoku Era than anything I'd read or seen before.
I think one thing we have to consider for isolation policy is that 'neighboring asian state(korea, china) is already doing naritime restrictions long ago'. Premodern asian countries do open world trade when they were in chaos and when the time of peace and prosperity comes they go isolationist for stability.
Thank you very much for all your work on these subjects and your continued videos. I truly Enjoy these historic lessons. I was a long time Shogun total war player. And I read a lot of books about the period. But your summarization is the best straight to the point knowledge I found. Keep up the great work. I must say, I think I've listened to every video you've released. I'll look forward to your next video.
Thank you so much for the well researched and nicely written episode. So looking forward for your episode on Rangaku and its impact on Japanese society.
Great video as always. I actually kind of like the speculation section, even if it is kind of tangential (and I did appreciate you saying it was speculation). I think speculating about these things allows us to step into the shoes of these historical people and consider their problems from their perspective. While we can't exactly know what they were thinking, speculating can help us imagine their world and how they viewed it, seeing them as people and not just names in a textbook.
Another good chapter it's interesting to know what exactly happened after the Sengoku period that I know about, the closing of Japan was interesting even if it may have caused some problems with advancements. I am looking forward to the next chapter as what u said has me curious as to how the fire happened, as usual, I enjoy everything u talk about as it's very informative.
Hopefully we get to see more about what the Dutch at Dejima thought about Japan and what the Japanese thought of the Dutch. Did any Dutch travel to Edo? Did any Dutch ever get in trouble? Were the Dutch eventually allowed to venture out of Dejima on their own? I would also be curious to know if there are records about the Shogunate's meetings with the Dutch. What was discussed? Did the Shogun request any specific information about the outside world?
As a Dutchman I was shocked to learn that we were trading partners with Japan for such a long time, because History was my favorite subject at school, and never ever was it mentioned, not even in a footnote!
The dutchmen were trading partners with the whole world though. However like Late Ming China the Dutch were extremely reliant on Japanese Copper exports and for their building of entrepreneurial success in the Indian Ocean, after Japan suspended copper exports, the Dutch trading empire was left vulnerable to the rise of England and France in India, with the Loss of the Business game to both in South Asia, the final chapter of Dutch adventures in Asia was to be defined as strengthening presence in Indonesia before it was too late
The head of the Dutch trading post made regular visits to Edo to meet with the shogun, chief vassals, and other scholars. Trouble sometimes occurred (see Siebold Incident).
Europe in the 17th century: Good bye, not worth it. We have the 30 years war and extensive poverty/famine/plague to deal with. America in the 19th century: Hello, we are coming in, courtesy of the industrial revolution.
It's interesting seeing the internal perspective of why locking out foreigners was deemed necessary by Japan. The destabilization caused by Christian missionaries and daimyo looking to use them to their advantage makes it far more sensible compared with how it is often taught in American schools.
Idk how to start this cause I don't know how to greet a shogun and I can't really say "Mr shogun" But anyway, are samurai horses a topic that you'd cover? I mean, the topic of Takeda shingens horses would be video enough. There's also differences with European or Asian horses, styles, equipment, preferences by samurai, etc
Yes, we are getting closer to meiji restoration, an era where Tokugawa got beaten up by losers of sekigahara... before that please talk more about rangaku...
Can anyone explain why islam is less spread than catholic in japan back then, islamic explorer arrived in jpn too yes but why theres never story about it?
Its actually more likely that Japan would have conquered China in this period, than a European power would have conquered Japan. It may sound ludacris, but consider the following: The Aztecs and Inca were conquered with far fewer numbers; and it would only be a few decades later that a dark horse, coming out of nowhere and less militarily powerful than Japan, would conquer a failing China to establish the Qing. Its interesting to imagine a world where Qing China never happened, but instead we had a Japanese Empire
95% of the Native Americans passed away due to Germs Europeans introduced from Europe, Asia and Africa, the Vast Majority of them perished without ever contacting a European for the first time in their lives, talking to another native was already more than enough to die soon next, that's how Germs spread
@@ciello___8307 I think timing plays a role. Just few years after Hideyoshi failed the Manchu succeeded in large part due to the revolt occurring in the Ming dynasty.
I think its a trait of asia that everyone wanted to take hold of the highest seat in asia (china) and restore order. The mongols did it mancu did it japan did it And colonialism sped it up i mean what started with the javanese ended with the japanese And now the crown rest on japan for the time being
The Japanese must prepare to fight between 40 to 50 years in order to occupy the whole of China. That is how long the Mongols and Manchus had taken to conquer China. When that happened, the Japanese would establish Beijing as capital and perhaps the Emperor of Japan would be relocated to the Forbidden City as the new residence while leaving a younger brother, son or nephew to take charge in Kyoto. Key areas in China would be garrisoned with Japanese soldiers. Some Japanese would bring their families from Japan to join them but most would end up marrying local Chinese women. Over the course of several generations the Japanese in China would become more distinct with Japanese back in Japan as they were becoming more Sinicized as well as assimilation into Chinese population. The descendants of Japanese in China would see themselves as Chinese due to Sinification. That is the fate of Non Chinese peoples when they establish their rule in China. Their descendants regarded themselves as Chinese through cultural assimilation and intermarried with Chinese population.
I think japan was afraid of colonization but really japan would of still prevented it. I mean all the anti christian rhetoric kinda seems to show that fear. There was probably was more issues that was going on.
I agree with you that it's unlikely a European invasion of Japan would have been attempted much less be successful. The Europeans didn't try to colonise Korea, and it wasn't as powerful. IIRC, there were two requests by the Japanese to Spain (or the Spanish-Portuguese union) requesting assistance to invade China. I hope one of your Edo Period videos covers the Kai Hentai (華夷変態), roughly translated as the transition of China from civilised to barbaric, i.e. a perversion in Japanese eyes, after the Manchu conquest of Ming and establishment of Qing. There's not much about this in English and as far as I know no videos about it here. I would be interesting to see how this development and events such as the Great Clearance (of China's coast of people) was viewed in Edo. There's a later paper by 眞壁仁 titled「徳川儒学思想における明清交替 : 江戸儒学界における正統の転位とその変遷」. In 2021 a book by 程永超 titled『華夷変態の東アジア近世日本・朝鮮・中国三国関係史の研究』was published. It's well regarded. An older paper from 1974 by 中村 栄孝 titled「大君外交の国際認識 -華夷秩序のなかの日本-日本外交の国際認識 その史的展開」is available online for free. The Russian contact with the Ainu and Edo Japan beginning in the 18th century would be another good topic. Early Russian influence in NE Asia is often overlooked, but these frequent contacts/intrusions generated interest and worry.
The idea of Japan becoming a European colony is ridiculous. You only have to look to other asian nations that avoided colonization. China avoided European colonization, the only colonies in China were given by treaty: Hong Kong, Macau, Tsingtao, etc. And Korea was invaded by the French, but was able to fight them off despite a huge technological inferiority. European colonization only happened in places where the technological disparity was immensly vast, or in smaller more easily controlled areas. And fhat isn't to mention that most of Asia was colonized long after Japan's closing
"European invasion" won't happen right away, not even in the case of swift "invasion" of Cortes and Pizarro. First it will be European explorers who came to survey your land. Then came their merchants to trade, followed later by missionary, diplomats, and spies. Only after the completion of the necessary groundwork (i.e. finding local allies, building factories and fortresses, etc), could the real "invasion" (or to be exact, heavy European *meddling* in local politics) begin. The main problem for Asian powers in resisting Western influence was *NOT* military inferiority. It isn't that Tokugawa Japan (or other Asian powers such as Qing, Mughal, Persia, Ottoman, etc) can't defeat European army (at least the pre-industrial European army of 16th-18th century). The problem is European corporations and merchants had such an "unfair" advantage in *trade and finance,* due to much *advanced financial tech in Europe,* led to much lower interest rate in Europe (in 1750 interest rate in England and Netherlands was ~10%, while in India it was ~30% and in China it was ~40%). Furthermore the Europeans also have access to all markets across the globe, which Asian traders did not have (e.g. European, American, and West African market). This grant the Europeans much better global market knowledge, and allow them to raise much more money, much quicker and with lower cost, thus able to dominate your local market (e.g. European corporations could outright buy the entire harvest of certain commodity, thus controlling the price of that commodity, like certain spices from the Spice Islands). Even more crucial, it also enabled the Europeans to *buy the allegiance of the local lords* and hire sizeable *local mercenaries* (remember at that time there was no Nationalism). So European *financial might,* combined with superior naval technology, was IMO the real reason why or how European could became dominant military and political power in Asia.
_(remember at that time there was no Nationalism)_ Don't know if the claim is as solid as you think. The Han had very dim views of the northern, eastern, and southern barbarians. Not nationalism of the 19th century type, but certainly violent in group / out group conflict existed. European advantage in Asia was arbitrage; the great difference in silver's value in China vice New Spain and Europe and the high prices 'inexpensive' Asian products earned in Europe. _'The main problem for Asian powers in resisting Western influence was NOT military inferiority.'_ Depends where it's taking place. European military 'superiority' reduces the further inland they move. The speedy Manchu overcame slow firing Ming cannon in fixed positions in strongly built forts. Age of sail made moving large armies long distances over the high seas difficult and deadly. Age-of-sail Europe relied on local allies, most notably in the Americas and the subcontinent.
@@gagamba9198 1. _"Not nationalism of the 19th century type, but certainly violent in group / out group conflict existed."_ Yea, ofc. Just like the Greek, the Romans, the Egyptians, etc dislike what they consider as out-group foreign barbarians. Thing is, most people (before the rise of Nationalism) felt no special attachment or obligation to defend their "nation". They even willing to work for the foreign barbarians against their own home country for money. Their loyalty is to their own kin/clan, not to their nation. Example being certain Ming general who opened the gate for the Manchus to invade China, or Greek mercenaries who fight for the Persians against the Greek-Macedonian armies, or certain Indian princes who support the British against his own overlord. ---- 2. _"European military 'superiority' reduces the further inland they move."_ Well.. It depends on how the said European state/corporation build their logistics and supply lines, and how they wage their wars. For example, after the end of the "Time of Troubles" in Russia, the new Romanov Russia became the premier European land power, and generally had no problem fighting the vaunted nomads on Eurasian steppe. They expand like 100 miles a day, steamrolling Kazakh and Mongol states all the way to Pacific ocean. Even the Ottomans and the Iranians (the 2 great powers in the region) had difficulty fighting the Russians on land. On the other hand, Barbary states and the Ottomans had a field day raiding European shipping and coastal towns despite the supposed overwhelming European superiority in naval technology. Ofc when some Western nations (i.e. USA, France, Spain, and Britain) became too annoyed by the Barbary states, they simply form naval taskforce and easily subjugate the Barbary states.
We need to divide the europeans into two kinds The first was the Catholics spanish, portuguese Habsburg empire... Their crusading method may worked in America against Aztec and incans While the protestants like Dutch and england take more secular apptoach with tradings within their mind.. At least at First, before turning colonization by playing drvide et impera and economic strategies with corporates like VoC or EIC
When talking about the reign of Tokugawa Ietsuna, please talk a little about the Shakushain Revolt (1669-1672), few people know about it, but it was a landmark in the history of Hokkaido.
I would be stoked to hear more about it. It seems like a genuinely heroic and tragic tale of Ainu resistance, even if it didn't start out that way. Not to mention, it shows once again the cruel authoritarianism of the bakufu.
2:28 Always have goosebumps when this Tokugawa theme song started playing
“Dun dun dun dundun dun dun dun dundun…”
Excellent video, and certainly necessary, many people today still think that Japan at this time was 100% isolating, and a video like this can help them understand the situation better, congratulations!
i like how i just went from rewatching your sengoku jidai series a couple of minutes ago and now i am watching the edo period series. the vibe is completely different 😅
Finally caught up with this series after binging the whole thing over Thanksgiving and later Christmas. Really gave me a greater sense of what was going on during the Sengoku Era than anything I'd read or seen before.
I think one thing we have to consider for isolation policy is that 'neighboring asian state(korea, china) is already doing naritime restrictions long ago'.
Premodern asian countries do open world trade when they were in chaos and when the time of peace and prosperity comes they go isolationist for stability.
Time for Mizu to get ready for their rip roaring revenge tour in Blue Eye Samurai now 😅
FINALLY i have been waiting for part 5🔥!!
Thank you very much for all your work on these subjects and your continued videos. I truly Enjoy these historic lessons. I was a long time Shogun total war player. And I read a lot of books about the period. But your summarization is the best straight to the point knowledge I found. Keep up the great work.
I must say, I think I've listened to every video you've released. I'll look forward to your next video.
Thank you so much for the well researched and nicely written episode. So looking forward for your episode on Rangaku and its impact on Japanese society.
As always you nailed it. Thank you for this series:)
Can't wait for the inevitable Rangaku video. There isn't any video on this topic...
Great video as always. I actually kind of like the speculation section, even if it is kind of tangential (and I did appreciate you saying it was speculation). I think speculating about these things allows us to step into the shoes of these historical people and consider their problems from their perspective. While we can't exactly know what they were thinking, speculating can help us imagine their world and how they viewed it, seeing them as people and not just names in a textbook.
Another good chapter it's interesting to know what exactly happened after the Sengoku period that I know about, the closing of Japan was interesting even if it may have caused some problems with advancements. I am looking forward to the next chapter as what u said has me curious as to how the fire happened, as usual, I enjoy everything u talk about as it's very informative.
Great video!
New Episode lets gooo!
Hopefully we get to see more about what the Dutch at Dejima thought about Japan and what the Japanese thought of the Dutch. Did any Dutch travel to Edo? Did any Dutch ever get in trouble? Were the Dutch eventually allowed to venture out of Dejima on their own?
I would also be curious to know if there are records about the Shogunate's meetings with the Dutch. What was discussed? Did the Shogun request any specific information about the outside world?
I really need my laptop to start playing these I love you're vids been watching for years.
that mod looks amazing!
As a Dutchman I was shocked to learn that we were trading partners with Japan for such a long time, because History was my favorite subject at school, and never ever was it mentioned, not even in a footnote!
The dutchmen were trading partners with the whole world though. However like Late Ming China the Dutch were extremely reliant on Japanese Copper exports and for their building of entrepreneurial success in the Indian Ocean, after Japan suspended copper exports, the Dutch trading empire was left vulnerable to the rise of England and France in India, with the Loss of the Business game to both in South Asia, the final chapter of Dutch adventures in Asia was to be defined as strengthening presence in Indonesia before it was too late
Voc yes
I've always liked this time period in Japanese history definitely one of top favorites
This man was my teacher and he was great!
I just realized your opening theme is not the samurai warriors 2 campaign intro song any more
The head of the Dutch trading post made regular visits to Edo to meet with the shogun, chief vassals, and other scholars.
Trouble sometimes occurred (see Siebold Incident).
Will you talk about Shinsengumi?
Yes!
Anakin Skywalker’s favorite Japanese Era
Tbh, I'm very hype for the Shokuho mod when the mod finally come out
Awesome
Europe in the 17th century: Good bye, not worth it. We have the 30 years war and extensive poverty/famine/plague to deal with.
America in the 19th century: Hello, we are coming in, courtesy of the industrial revolution.
Shogunate sounds like ownage pranks
👍👍GREAT ONE
After the sengoku Jidai the Edo/Tokugawa Era was the rest and time off period Nihon deserved and needed.
Please review the film twilight samurai
Things are starting to heat up in the bakufu~
i got to know about the horrible fire that happened in edo
Do you have any videos on Mathew Perry forcing Japan to open its borders?
you should rate the film “Sanada maru”
Yeah that would be cool. Maybe Aoi Tokugawa Sandai as well at some point
I, for one, am still very Interested in your thoughts/ review of "Blue Eyed Samurai". 🍹
After edo are u going to meiji restoration? Thanks Im a fan
Yes that is the current plan!
Dude. Mount and Blade bannerlord looks so good I haven't had the chance to buy it.
It's interesting seeing the internal perspective of why locking out foreigners was deemed necessary by Japan. The destabilization caused by Christian missionaries and daimyo looking to use them to their advantage makes it far more sensible compared with how it is often taught in American schools.
Idk how to start this cause I don't know how to greet a shogun and I can't really say "Mr shogun"
But anyway, are samurai horses a topic that you'd cover? I mean, the topic of Takeda shingens horses would be video enough. There's also differences with European or Asian horses, styles, equipment, preferences by samurai, etc
Anybody got thier hopes up for this shogun series?
The idea that a country like Portugal could colonize Japan is thoroughly hilarious.
Did samurai used war dogs
Yes, we are getting closer to meiji restoration, an era where Tokugawa got beaten up by losers of sekigahara... before that please talk more about rangaku...
I these stories
Can anyone explain why islam is less spread than catholic in japan back then, islamic explorer arrived in jpn too yes but why theres never story about it?
Please the boshin war and taishi era japan next and a videoessay on rise of the ronin by sony on PS5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its actually more likely that Japan would have conquered China in this period, than a European power would have conquered Japan.
It may sound ludacris, but consider the following: The Aztecs and Inca were conquered with far fewer numbers;
and it would only be a few decades later that a dark horse, coming out of nowhere and less militarily powerful than Japan, would conquer a failing China to establish the Qing.
Its interesting to imagine a world where Qing China never happened, but instead we had a Japanese Empire
95% of the Native Americans passed away due to Germs Europeans introduced from Europe, Asia and Africa, the Vast Majority of them perished without ever contacting a European for the first time in their lives, talking to another native was already more than enough to die soon next, that's how Germs spread
Hideyoshi couldnt even conquer korea. No way that happens
@@ciello___8307 I think timing plays a role. Just few years after Hideyoshi failed the Manchu succeeded in large part due to the revolt occurring in the Ming dynasty.
I think its a trait of asia that everyone wanted to take hold of the highest seat in asia (china) and restore order. The mongols did it mancu did it japan did it
And colonialism sped it up i mean what started with the javanese ended with the japanese
And now the crown rest on japan for the time being
The Japanese must prepare to fight between 40 to 50 years in order to occupy the whole of China. That is how long the Mongols and Manchus had taken to conquer China. When that happened, the Japanese would establish Beijing as capital and perhaps the Emperor of Japan would be relocated to the Forbidden City as the new residence while leaving a younger brother, son or nephew to take charge in Kyoto. Key areas in China would be garrisoned with Japanese soldiers. Some Japanese would bring their families from Japan to join them but most would end up marrying local Chinese women. Over the course of several generations the Japanese in China would become more distinct with Japanese back in Japan as they were becoming more Sinicized as well as assimilation into Chinese population. The descendants of Japanese in China would see themselves as Chinese due to Sinification. That is the fate of Non Chinese peoples when they establish their rule in China. Their descendants regarded themselves as Chinese through cultural assimilation and intermarried with Chinese population.
so japan forbid slavery throughout its history right? pretty shocking for such a brutal society. but interesting
I think japan was afraid of colonization but really japan would of still prevented it. I mean all the anti christian rhetoric kinda seems to show that fear. There was probably was more issues that was going on.
I agree with you that it's unlikely a European invasion of Japan would have been attempted much less be successful. The Europeans didn't try to colonise Korea, and it wasn't as powerful. IIRC, there were two requests by the Japanese to Spain (or the Spanish-Portuguese union) requesting assistance to invade China.
I hope one of your Edo Period videos covers the Kai Hentai (華夷変態), roughly translated as the transition of China from civilised to barbaric, i.e. a perversion in Japanese eyes, after the Manchu conquest of Ming and establishment of Qing. There's not much about this in English and as far as I know no videos about it here. I would be interesting to see how this development and events such as the Great Clearance (of China's coast of people) was viewed in Edo.
There's a later paper by 眞壁仁 titled「徳川儒学思想における明清交替 : 江戸儒学界における正統の転位とその変遷」.
In 2021 a book by 程永超 titled『華夷変態の東アジア近世日本・朝鮮・中国三国関係史の研究』was published. It's well regarded.
An older paper from 1974 by 中村 栄孝 titled「大君外交の国際認識 -華夷秩序のなかの日本-日本外交の国際認識 その史的展開」is available online for free.
The Russian contact with the Ainu and Edo Japan beginning in the 18th century would be another good topic. Early Russian influence in NE Asia is often overlooked, but these frequent contacts/intrusions generated interest and worry.
The idea of Japan becoming a European colony is ridiculous. You only have to look to other asian nations that avoided colonization. China avoided European colonization, the only colonies in China were given by treaty: Hong Kong, Macau, Tsingtao, etc. And Korea was invaded by the French, but was able to fight them off despite a huge technological inferiority. European colonization only happened in places where the technological disparity was immensly vast, or in smaller more easily controlled areas. And fhat isn't to mention that most of Asia was colonized long after Japan's closing
The conquest of the Americas was only possible due to germs Europeans introduced from Europe, Asia and Africa...
Internal rivalries and conflict aided the Europeans as well. 'Yeah, we'll help you fight off your rival.'
True.. European Could play lo al rivalries.. Such when Dealing with India/Mughal.. And the sultanates in premodern Indonesia malaysia territory
"European invasion" won't happen right away, not even in the case of swift "invasion" of Cortes and Pizarro.
First it will be European explorers who came to survey your land. Then came their merchants to trade, followed later by missionary, diplomats, and spies.
Only after the completion of the necessary groundwork (i.e. finding local allies, building factories and fortresses, etc), could the real "invasion" (or to be exact, heavy European *meddling* in local politics) begin.
The main problem for Asian powers in resisting Western influence was *NOT* military inferiority. It isn't that Tokugawa Japan (or other Asian powers such as Qing, Mughal, Persia, Ottoman, etc) can't defeat European army (at least the pre-industrial European army of 16th-18th century).
The problem is European corporations and merchants had such an "unfair" advantage in *trade and finance,* due to much *advanced financial tech in Europe,* led to much lower interest rate in Europe (in 1750 interest rate in England and Netherlands was ~10%, while in India it was ~30% and in China it was ~40%). Furthermore the Europeans also have access to all markets across the globe, which Asian traders did not have (e.g. European, American, and West African market).
This grant the Europeans much better global market knowledge, and allow them to raise much more money, much quicker and with lower cost, thus able to dominate your local market (e.g. European corporations could outright buy the entire harvest of certain commodity, thus controlling the price of that commodity, like certain spices from the Spice Islands).
Even more crucial, it also enabled the Europeans to *buy the allegiance of the local lords* and hire sizeable *local mercenaries* (remember at that time there was no Nationalism).
So European *financial might,* combined with superior naval technology, was IMO the real reason why or how European could became dominant military and political power in Asia.
_(remember at that time there was no Nationalism)_
Don't know if the claim is as solid as you think. The Han had very dim views of the northern, eastern, and southern barbarians. Not nationalism of the 19th century type, but certainly violent in group / out group conflict existed. European advantage in Asia was arbitrage; the great difference in silver's value in China vice New Spain and Europe and the high prices 'inexpensive' Asian products earned in Europe.
_'The main problem for Asian powers in resisting Western influence was NOT military inferiority.'_ Depends where it's taking place. European military 'superiority' reduces the further inland they move. The speedy Manchu overcame slow firing Ming cannon in fixed positions in strongly built forts. Age of sail made moving large armies long distances over the high seas difficult and deadly. Age-of-sail Europe relied on local allies, most notably in the Americas and the subcontinent.
@@gagamba9198 1. _"Not nationalism of the 19th century type, but certainly violent in group / out group conflict existed."_
Yea, ofc. Just like the Greek, the Romans, the Egyptians, etc dislike what they consider as out-group foreign barbarians.
Thing is, most people (before the rise of Nationalism) felt no special attachment or obligation to defend their "nation". They even willing to work for the foreign barbarians against their own home country for money. Their loyalty is to their own kin/clan, not to their nation.
Example being certain Ming general who opened the gate for the Manchus to invade China, or Greek mercenaries who fight for the Persians against the Greek-Macedonian armies, or certain Indian princes who support the British against his own overlord.
----
2. _"European military 'superiority' reduces the further inland they move."_
Well.. It depends on how the said European state/corporation build their logistics and supply lines, and how they wage their wars.
For example, after the end of the "Time of Troubles" in Russia, the new Romanov Russia became the premier European land power, and generally had no problem fighting the vaunted nomads on Eurasian steppe.
They expand like 100 miles a day, steamrolling Kazakh and Mongol states all the way to Pacific ocean. Even the Ottomans and the Iranians (the 2 great powers in the region) had difficulty fighting the Russians on land.
On the other hand, Barbary states and the Ottomans had a field day raiding European shipping and coastal towns despite the supposed overwhelming European superiority in naval technology.
Ofc when some Western nations (i.e. USA, France, Spain, and Britain) became too annoyed by the Barbary states, they simply form naval taskforce and easily subjugate the Barbary states.
We need to divide the europeans into two kinds
The first was the Catholics spanish, portuguese Habsburg empire... Their crusading method may worked in America against Aztec and incans
While the protestants like Dutch and england take more secular apptoach with tradings within their mind.. At least at First, before turning colonization by playing drvide et impera and economic strategies with corporates like VoC or EIC