Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the issue of great military divergence in Eurasia. Western Europe became militarily significant only in the early modern era. The book shows that the steppe nomadic cavalry powers frequently waged decisive encounter battles. It argues that hybridity is the product of amalgamation of selected elements from two or more opposing military systems and the end product is something new/original. The book discusses the evolution of warfare and the linkages between climate change and military innovations in the rise and fall of the Bronze Age societies in Eurasia. It explores the contrasts naval warfare conducted by the Chinese, Indian and Islamic polities with the maritime activities of the Western European polities during the medieval era. The book also discusses the spotlight on the genesis of military systems in the two Americas, Africa and Australasia.