The absolute dominance of the Arabs and Islam in the Levant, Middle East, and North Africa, and the resulting cultural dominance in that region, marginalising local Christians, Zoroastrians, and other faiths. The Caliphates and other Muslim states did such an incredible job that in other circumstances would be deemed ASB.
Persia and India going from vibrant centers of civilisation to peripheral colonies. British India would be deemed ASB in any other context, especially since it included many lands beyond the Indus River and even Burma of all places, which almost beat the British in the first war against them and caused huge economic damage in the process.
Or the small timber fort on the Moskva river becoming the capital of one of the most massive states on earth in the same amount of time.
Only because they beat a bunch of other minor forts for that title (although it helped they had a prince who was great friends with the head of the religion there). Come to think of it, same with the Roman Empire (beat a bunch of small post-Etruscan cities to make an empire), the Ottoman Empire (beat a bunch of small Turkish states to make an Empire).
A boring island with terrible food and hideous teeth managed to dominated everyone even on a genetic scale.
A lot of coal plus leeching off the continent's innovations without having to fight too much in their wars will help do that. Plus grab Northern America once the natives are depopulated by disease (obviously depopulate the natives more by war and all). So much farmland, lots of natural population increase, etc., huge economic resources, why, you've secured your cultural descendents (even if they aren't so much like you and come from your continental rivals, people you conquered, people you hate as barbarians, or even people you trade as livestock) dominance over the world for many centuries.
What do you eat apart from potatoes
?
Irish Americans gave us the St. Patrick's Day meal--corned beef, cabbage, soda bread, potatoes. It's really good, and I'd take it over fish and chips. Don't think it's too popular in Ireland though (seems to be a New England thing).