17th century

Events

The Thirty Years' War in Europe (1618-1648).
Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England -- James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England: the Crowns are united in one person, but the kingdoms remain separate entities
Scottish and English Protestants sent to colonize Ireland, as reaction to Catholicism there
The English Civil Wars (1642-1651).
The Deluge: series of wars and civil wars in Poland with Sweden, Russia, Prussia and Transylvania which caused Poland to lose power status and began rise of Russia to power status.
Antwerp merchants established the Dutch East India Company in 1602, embarking on colonial expansion based on shareholdership rather than royal control.
The Dutch republic became the dominant economic and political power in Europe. It also underwent crashes, e.g. the windhandel in tulips led to many bankruptcies in 1637.
Republic of the Seven United Netherlands gains formal independence from Spain in 1648. Dutch merchant ships sail all over the world, leading to a Golden Age in the country, which also shows by the many famous Dutch painters living in this age.
Major changes in philosophy and science take place, often characterised as the Scientific revolution.