With reference to one Early Modern state, discuss the challenges to its power and how successfully they were overcome.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the challenges to the power of one Early Modern state and how successfully they were overcome. Challenges may predate the timeframe but they must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may refer to political challenges in limiting the power of a king or emperor, for example, the challenge of the Shogun to the Emperor in the Tokugawa Shogunate. They may refer to religious challenges, for example the conflicts between Emperor Charles V and the Lutheran princes in the Holy Roman Empire. Wars or rebellions can also be considered, for example Hindu rebellions in the Mughal Empire or the war between Huascar and Atahualpa. They may refer to economic issues, for example the slave trade and the power of the Oba in the Benin Empire. In the chosen state candidates will discuss how successfully challenges were overcome. Other factors may be addressed, for example issues after the conquest of new lands. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the challenges to the power of one Early Modern state and how successfully they were overcome. There were very few responses seen.