World's history (part 12): Regional developments[edit] Persiacame under the rule of theSafavid Empirein 1501, succeeded by theAfsharid Empirein 1736, and theQajar Empirein 1796. Areas to the north and east were held by UzbeksandPashtuns. TheOttoman Empire, after takingConstantinoplein 1453, quickly gained control of the Middle East, theBalkans, and most ofNorth Africa. Elsewhere inAfrica, this period saw a decline in many civilizations and an advancement in others. TheSwahili Coastdeclined after coming under Portuguese (and later Omani) control. In west Africa, theSonghai Empirefell to the Moroccans in 1591 when they invaded with guns. The South African Kingdom of Zimbabwegave way to smaller kingdoms such asMutapa,Butua, andRozwi.Ethiopiasuffered from the 1531 invasion from neighboring Muslim Adal Sultanate, and in 1769 entered theZemene Mesafint(Age of Princes) during which the Emperor became a figurehead and the country was ruled by warlords, though the royal line later would recover under Emperor Tewodros II. The Ajuuraan Empire, in theHorn of Africa, began to decline in the 17th century, succeeded by theGeledi Sultanate. Other civilizations in Africa advanced during this period. The Oyo Empireexperienced its golden age, as did theBenin Empire. TheAshanti Empirerose to power in what is modern day Ghanain 1670. TheKingdom of Kongoalso thrived during this period.European exploration of Africareached its zenith at this time. In the Far East, theChineseMing Dynastygave way (1644) to theQing, the last Chinese imperial dynasty, which would rule until 1912. Japanexperienced itsAzuchi-Momoyama period(1568 – 1603), followed by theEdo period(1603-1868). TheKoreanJoseon Dynasty (1392-1910) ruled throughout this period, successfully repelling 16th- and 17th-century invasions from Japan and China. Japan and China were significantly affected during this period by expanded maritime trade with Europe, particularly the Portuguese in Japan. During the Edo period, Japan would pursue isolationist policies, to eliminate foreign influences. On theIndian subcontinent, theDelhi Sultanateand theDeccan Sultanateswould give way, beginning in the 16th century, to theMughal Empire . Starting in the northwest, the Mughal Empire would by the late 17th century come to rule the entire subcontinent,[133]except for the southernmost Indian provinces, which would remain independent. Against the Muslim Mughal Empire, the Hindu Maratha Empirewas founded on the west coast in 1674, gradually gaining territory – a majority of present-day India—from the Mughals over several decades, particularly in the Deccan Wars(1681-1701). The Maratha Empire would fall to the British in 1818, under the control of theBritish East India Company , with all former Maratha and Mughal authority devolving to theBritish Rajin 1858. In 1511, the Portuguese overthrew theSultanate of Malaccain present-dayMalaysiaandIndonesianSumatra. The Portuguese held this important trading territory (and the valuable associated navigational strait) until overthrown by the Dutch in 1641. The Johor Sultanate, centered on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, became the dominant trading power in the region. European colonizationwould affect the whole of Southeast Asia – the British in BurmaandMalaysia, the French inIndochina, the Dutch in theNetherlands East Indies, and the Spanish in the Philippines. OnlyThailandwould successfully resist colonization. The Pacific islands ofOceaniawould also be affected by European contact, starting with the circumnavigational voyage ofFerdinand Magellan , who landed on theMarianasand other islands in 1521. Also notable were the voyages (1642–44) ofAbel Tasmanto present-day Australia,New Zealandand nearby islands, and the voyages (1768-1779) of CaptainJames Cook, who made the first recorded European contact with Hawaii. Britain would found its first colony on Australia in 1788. In theAmericas, thewestern European powersvigorously colonized the newly discovered continents, largely displacing theindigenous populations , and destroying the advanced civilizations of theAztecsand theInca. Spain, Portugal, Britain, and France all made extensive territorial claims, and undertook large-scale settlement, including the importation of large numbers of African slaves.