Between 1450 and 1750, the global balance of power shifted significantly as the influence of Islam and the Mongols declined. Europe began to take a more dominant role economically and politically during this period through expansion, colonization, and the development of new technologies and navigation techniques. Key events included the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate and Byzantine Empire, the rise of the Ottoman Empire, and the Ming dynasty's withdrawal from exploration under Zheng He. European powers like Portugal, Spain, Italy and England emerged as global colonial powers through their exploration of Africa, Asia, and the Americas in this period.