The United Kingdom, France, and the Dutch Republic flourished greatly under the income of their colonies. The colonists' demand for luxury products from Europe grew, while American products were exported to Europe. Trade from and to the Far East was set up, with Chinese and Indian products becoming widely spread among the European higher social classes.

After the Ottomons had taken Constantinople in 1453, the sultans of the Osman House were able to hold their empire together for five centuries to come, establishing the Ottoman Empire as a major player in European politics. During the 16th century, the empire was at its peak, covering most of the Near East and the Balcan. The other two major European powers of the 16th century were Austria of the Habsburg House, and France under the Bourbons.

In 1648, the Eighty Year War ended with the founding of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces, as Holland had fought itself free from Spanish rule. In a time when all European nations were ruled by souvereigns, the republic was a remarkable exception. Because of its prosperity in the 16th century, this era became known as the Golden Century to the Dutch.

In 1661, King Lous XIV of France became the absolute ruler of France. His quote "L'état, c'est moi" (the state, is me) would become famous. Louis XIV saw himself as the centre of France and the world, and would therefore be known as the Sun King. France under the Sun King was the centre of Baroque art, music, and architecture.

Baroque architecture: As the Roman Church's political and economical power faded, the influence of the national states increased, that of France under King Louis XIV in particular, whereas countries in northern Europe turned to Protestantism. To promote its prestige, the papacy developed spectacular initiatives which would give the city of Rome a totally new appearance, and would also make it an example for other large cities in Europe.

Between 1585 and 1590, Pope Sixtus V had a complete new road network constructed, to link all the important basilicas, with fountains and obelisks at strategic locations to guide the pilgrims who visited Rome. Baroque architects continued to build up to this, and their artistic talents are still today widespread throughout the city. An example of this is the Piazza Navona, where a splendid spectacle of fountains, palaces and churches offers a spectacular view from any angle.

The Piazza Navona square was completely rebuilt in 1650, though its original shape was preserved, as it used to be a circus under Emperor Domitianus. The square features three fountains, two on each side and the Fontana dei Fiumi (fountain of the four flows) in the centre.

The Sant'Agnese of Borromini is the dominant church on the square. The frontage of the church building has dynamic, fluent lines and is completely covered with travertine. In the façade, there are reliefs and niches which provide a spectacle of light and shade. Two elegant campaniles flank the cupola which rests on an enormous drummer with pillars underneath them. Large windows are found between the pillars.

Rococo Palaces: In Europe's most influential nations of the 17th and 18th century, sovereignty was equal to the will of the king. In that period, the European variant to the Chinese Forbidden City arose, namely the royal palace as the centre of power, from where the absolute monarch ruled over his country. In France, the Palace of Versailles - which took almost a hundred years to build - was a good example of a with pomp and splendour overloaded centre of power. It was different from the Italian city-states, the small German kingdoms of the aristocratic counties in Britain. What initially had been a country retreat became, by the hand of King Louis XIV, the capital of the kingdom. The Palace of Versailles, a typical example of French architecture of that era, stood as a model for royal palaces to be build throughout Europe in the 18th century.

In 1682, King Louis XIV moved the French capital to Versailles, south of Paris. The surrounding parks, its interior and the nearby village were not yet completed, and it would take several decades of construction before they would. The gardens, designed by the famous landscape architect Le Nôtre, were just as large as the entire city of Paris.