alternatehistory.com

East Asia 1400-50

@Scarecrow: Thx! Although I don't know about uppowoc, it sounds a bit silly... you don't know by accident how other native Americans called it, maybe a bit further north?
@SteveW: Thx too. Well, let's see. Holland has a disadvantage, it sits next to the then-800 pound gorilla, ie France... that's a problem...

And here's East Asia 1400-50:

1394 (3091, Yang Wood Dog): Ryukyu Islands annexed by China.

15th century generally: Sultanate of Brunei starts to expand over Borneo.
Hong China sends caravans along the Silk Road to Choresm, starting diplomatic relations.

Since 1400: Japanese start copying Chinese arms (bamboo guns, cannons) - the first ones are smuggled in - , and improving them.

1400-02 (3097, Yang Metal Dragon / 3099, Yang Water Horse): First voyage of Chinese Treasure Ships. They travel to Pasai (Sumatra), Melaka, Ayutthaya, Khmer, Pagan, to arrive in Calicut.

1403 (3100, Yin Water Sheep): China establishes a trade post at Aparri, Luzon, OTL Philippines.

1404-06 (3101, Yang Wood Monkey / 3103, Yang Fire Dog): Second voyage of Chinese Treasure Ships. They travel to Calicut again, and also visit Sri Lanka, which king accepts the Hong as supreme rulers.

1407-09 (3104, Yin Fire Pig / 3106, Yin Earth Ox): Third voyage of Chinese Treasure Ships. This time they go east, to Brunei, Majapahit, and even discover the north coast of Australia (although they aren't interested in the latter).

1408 (3105, Yang Earth Rat): The ruler of Melaka (Malacca) marries a Chinese noblewoman, starts paying a small tribute to China. This is one of many signs of the cultural changes brought to SE Asia by the Chinese.

1410s: Mongol incursions under Baraq Khan on Chinese territory force the Chinese to interfere. They support the Merkites, splitting their enemies in two.

1416-19 (3113, Yang Fire Monkey / 3116, Yin Earth Pig): The great voyage: Chinese Treasure Ships go to Hormuz, visit Persia and open diplomatic relations, and a part of them sails down the African coast to Mozambique. Following them, Chinese merchants open new trade connections. Although under the Hong trade is still somewhat despised, they tend to accept it as a necessary evil - especially since to revenue isn't something to sneer upon.

1419: Grand Canal between South and North China renewed.

1420s: Civil War in Majapahit. China intervenes here, too. By playing out the empires of Melaka and Majapahit agaisnt each other, they put sure that neither gains the upper hand.

1421: Deccan Sultanate becomes independent from Delhi Sultanate.

1425/26 (3122, Yin Wood Snake / 3123, Yang Fire Horse): Annamese uprising defeated.

1430s: Inner conflicts in Pagan split the country in two halfs. One of them, the Pegu dynasty (from the city with the same name), asks Hong China for help, gaining control of the rest of OTL Burma. China's sphere of influence now borders India.

1439 (3136, Yang Earth Horse): A general in Goryeo topples the king, adopts Confucianism as new state religion.

1446 (3143, Yang Wood Tiger): Thai conquer Angkor Wat, threaten to destroy the Khmer empire. Khmer appeal to the Hong Emperor to help them. The emperor agrees, threatens Thai; when the latter refuse, war starts in 1447 (3144, Yin Wood Rabbit).

1450 (3147, Yang Metal Horse): Thai are defeated, have to pay tribute to China.

[post=636313]Read about some detail about the Treasure Ships of the Hong...[/post]