Summary Overview of history of international relations

History of international relations
Overview before 1000 – 1 BCE


China – Before 1000 BCE

Important names Political units Important events Important ideas/ideologies

 Duke Dan of Zhou  Since the 17th C BCE, the  The Battle of Muye – 1046 BCE  The Mandate of Heaven (Tian Ming)
(advisor to the first North China Plain was united
king of the Zhou by the Shang Kingdom
dynasty) refined the  Shang Kingdom overthrown
theory of the by the Zhou in the Battle of
heavenly mandate Muye (1046 BCE)
 Zhou Dynasty

China – 1000 – 750 BCE

Important names Political units Important events Important ideas/ideologies

 Prince Cheng of  Zhou Dynasty  King You of Zhou killed in 771 BCE >  The Book of Rites: is a collection of texts
Zhou became king in  Main rivals of the Zhou: barbarians sacked capital > Zhou’s heavenly describing the social forms, administration,
1042 BCE Dongyi, Xianyun, Guifang mandate challenged and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty
and Chu  Following decades: Zhou’s capital relocated
& more and more vassals turned backs on
the king
 Zhou retained nominal power but anarchy
took over
China – 750 BCE – 500 BCE

Important names Political units Important events Important ideas/ideologies

 Guan Zhong (720 –  The Lu (controlled the fertile The Spring and Autumn Period (771 – 476 BCE)  Mengfu = palace of treaties
645 BCE) chancellor lands of the NCP)  Period of anarchy  Development of the thought on Chinese
to the state of Qi  The Qi  Period of consolidation: rise of large cities, governance
 Confucius (551 – 479  The Song specialization of crafts, development of
BCE) advisor to the  The Jin trade, innovative technology, etc.

, kings of Lu  The Qin  Period of diplomacy: hundreds of treaties
 Lao Tzu (601 – 531  The Chu signed and national conferences held
BCE) founder of
Taoism
 Sun Tzu (544 – 479
BCE) from the state
of Wu
All argued that military
power is not enough
without good
governance & good
governance relied on
prosperity, preservation
of agriculture, just
legislation, education
and internal stability.

China – 500 – 250 BCE

Important names Political units Important events Important ideas/ideologies

 Lu Buwei bought Number of states shrunk to 7: The Warring States Period (476 – 221 BCE) Hundred Schools of Thought would hold debates
himself the position  Jin (split into Wei, Zhao, Han)  Battle of Guiling 354 BCE (Zhao > Wei) about governance, diplomacy, peace and war.
of Prime Minister of  Chu, Qin, Qi and Yan  Battle of Changping 260 BCE (Qin > Zhao)  The period of instability led scholars to urge
Qin. Surrounded by the Gojoseon  Qin Empire established in 221 BCE, ending for law and order (‘legalist school of
 Shang Yang (390- (east), Xiongnu (north) and the Warring States Period thought’)
338 BCE) chancellor Wuzhong (mountain tribes to
to the state of Qin west)
 Han Fei (280-233
BCE) prince of the
state of Han
 Xunzi (312-235 BCE)
Confucian scholar
who shifted towards
realism

, China – 250 – 1 BCE

Important names Political units Important events Important ideas/ideologies

Han Dynasty  Qin Dynasty 221 BCE  End of Warring States Period Qin Dynasty
 Dong Zhongshu  Han Dynasty 204 BCE  First imperial dynasty, the Qin Dynasty in Doctrine of legalism instead of Confucianism:
(179-104 BCE)  The Xiongnu (barbarians) 221 BCE, after the Battle of Changping 260 power, law and order above morality.
important thinker  The Yuezhi (barbarians) BCE
who provided the  Han Dynasty succeeded the Qin in 204 BCE Han Dynasty
emperor with a  Emperor Wu’s campaigns against the Confucianism
Confucian imperial Xiongnu triggered mass migration ->
doctrine built on Xiongnu forced to attack the Yuezhi ->
rigid hierarchy, Yuezhi forc ed to sack the Bactria kingdom &
absolute political take leftovers of the Maurya Empire
centralization &
cultural uniformity
 Emperors Wen of
Han, Jing of Han &
Wu of Han

Europe – 1000 – 750 BCE

Important names Political units Important events Important ideas/ideologies

 Cimmerians & Scythians  Greece started trade settlements on modern Greece & Sparta’s foreign policy = imperial
(nomadic tribal peoples) Syria & Cyprus incl. establishing contact expansion
 Kingdom of Urartu with the Phoenicians
 Greece: city states  Greece established colonies in Asia Minor,
 Sparta Sicily & Italian peninsula
 Phoenicians
 Rome