Opdagelsestid

Opdagelsestid refers to a historical period characterized by extensive overseas exploration and discovery. While the exact timeframe can vary depending on historical context, it is often associated with the period from the early 15th century to the mid-17th century in Europe. This era saw European navigators, driven by a combination of factors including trade, religious zeal, and a desire for prestige, embark on voyages to chart unknown territories and establish new trade routes.

Key figures of this period include explorers like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan, whose expeditions dramatically expanded European knowledge of the world. These voyages led to the discovery of the Americas, the sea route to India, and the circumnavigation of the globe. The consequences of opdagelsestid were profound, leading to significant cultural exchanges, the establishment of colonial empires, and a global shift in economic and political power. It marked a transition from a world largely known to Europeans to a truly interconnected global system, albeit one often built on exploitation and conflict.