Transcript The Three Empires

The Three Empires
Rise of New Islamic
Empires
The Collapse of the Mongols in 14th and
15th centuries…
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Led to the rise of three new Islamic empires:
Ottoman Empire 1300-1918
 NW
Anatolia in
1300
 Egypt and Syria
1516-1517
 Algeria and Tunis
 Belgrade, Rhodes
and Vienna
 Major Rival—
VENICE!
The Ottoman Empire at Its
Height, 1566
Battle of Mohacs
Ottoman
Helmet
•Likely belonged to
Suleiman the
Magnificent (who
expanded Empire to a
golden age, of sorts)
•Turban-like in shape
•Symbolic of Ottoman
diversity (many different
ethnic groups and
languages) and military
might
Janissaries
•Ottoman infantry
•Originally Christian
•Often taken from
Christian homes in
the Balkans
•Trained militarily
and in Islam at
Ottoman training
schools
•Fought largely on
foot
Ottomans– Big Picture
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Founded on Anatolia circa 1300
Expanded to Eastern Europe, N. Africa, Balkans, and part
of the Middle East
Sunni Islam
Unwilling to build a strong navy which left them out as
major players in Indian Ocean Trade (though, the strongest
navy of the three gunpowder empires!)
Empire rested on military power led by the sultan;
eventual changes in military and Janissary structure led to
ultimate internal weaknesses
Suleimaniye Mosque
Safavid Empire 1501-1722
Ismail I 1501—Shah and
Shi’ism as religion
 Qizilbash warriors
(Turkish) support Ismail
 1507 raids against the
Ottomans
 Abbas the Great (15871629)
 Renewal of trade and
importance in trade (yet
no navy!)
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Safavid Shah with Attendants
This painting by Ali-Quli Jubbadar, a European convert to Islam working for the Safavid armory, reflects
Western influences. The artist used light and shadow to model the faces of the Safavid Shah and his
attendants and musicians. The Shah's waterpipe indicates the spread of tobacco, a New World crop, to
the Middle East. (Courtesy of Oriental Institute, Academy of Science, St. Petersburg.)
The Safavid Empire
Safavids
Culturally, similar to Ottoman empire (though not
quite as diverse)
 Concealment of women
 Isolated from other parts of the Middle East due to
Shi’ism (rest of Middle East Sunni, largely)
 Silks and carpets = important manufactured goods
 Eventually fell to Afghan invaders in 1722
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Mughal Empire 1526-1800s
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Period of grandeur
Timur (Mongol) defeats
Delhi Sultanate in 1398,
and descendants create
the Mughal empire by 1526
Babur– 1st leader of
Mughals
Akbar (grandson)–
expanded empire;
accepted Hindus
The Taj Mahal
Akbar on
Elephant
Akbar made himself the center
of a short-lived eclectic new
religion (Divine Faith) and
sponsored a court culture in
which Hindu and Muslim
elements were mixed. Not only
was Mughal rule a time for
increased acceptance of
Hindus, women were, arguably,
better treated.
•Discouraged sati
•Discouraged child brides
Taj Mahal
Mughal Decline
Largely due to: Internal decay and
European encroachment
•Wars to conquer southern portions
of India
•Costly projects out-of-hand (i.e.
the Taj Mahal)
•Corrupt bureaucracy
•Tax system disadvantaged the
poor
•Military technology unable to
match new European
modernization
•Later emperors are less accepting
of Hinduism and Sikhism
Mughals– Big Picture
Founded by Babur; grew under Akbar and ended up
encompassing much of present-day India
 Prospered through trade (leaned on Europeans for
naval support)
 NO NAVY and no merchant mariners
 Hybrid of Islam and Hinduism
 Internal decay and European encroachment led to
decline
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Role of Islam/Religious Tolerance
Ottomans
 Sunni empire
 1516 (capture of Mecca & Medina)
 Generally tolerant
Safavids
 Shi’ite empire
 Forcibly convert
Mughals
 Sunni empire
 Maintain good relations with Hindus
 Had Christian missionaries
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Renaissance Leaders
Ottomans
 Architecture—Topkapi
Palace, Faith mosque
 Calligraphy
 Poetry
Safavids
 Poetry
 Architecture
Mughals
 Architecture
 Learning
European Colonization in
Indian Ocean to 1750
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Summary
The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires spanned a period of
Islamic history in which the isolation of medieval times - when small
dynasties struggled to control small amounts of territory - gave way
to the interdependence of modern times.
Between them, these three empires covered the entire Islamic world,
with the exception of West Africa and Southeast Asia, and they
ushered in a new age of global trade and communication, as all three
established new relations with European powers.
Equally significant, all three pioneered the use of artillery in warfare,
thus helping to change the way battles were fought for centuries to
come.
Finally, each empire left its own imprint on the Islamic world,
through such varied issues as architecture, treatment of non-Muslims,
and consideration of Sunni vs. Shi'a issues.
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