Varhaismodernia

Varhaismodernia, or the early modern period, is a historiographical term that denotes the span of history between the late Middle Ages and the onset of modernity. In European historiography it is commonly dated roughly from the 1450s to the late 18th century, though exact boundaries vary by region. In global history the label covers overlapping centuries during which cross-cultural contact intensified and long-distance trade expanded, shaping interconnected societies.

During this era Europe experienced a cultural revival known as the Renaissance, significant religious upheaval including the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation, and innovations in printing, navigation, and warfare. Political developments included the rise of centralized monarchies and early modern states, the growth of bureaucratic administration, and mercantilist policies that supported expansive trade and colonial ventures. The Age of Exploration opened transoceanic networks and established European empires in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, with profound demographic, ecological, and cultural consequences.

Intellectually, the period saw the Scientific Revolution, which challenged medieval understandings and laid foundations for modern science through figures such as Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton. The era also catalyzed changes in art, education, and social life, along with shifts in urbanization, literacy, and religious practice, contributing to evolving notions of authority, governance, and individual rights.

Scholars often place the end of varhaismodernia in the late 18th century, overlapping with the Enlightenment and the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in some regions, as well as political revolutions that signaled transitions toward modernity.