Transcript Chapter 28 Islamic Empires

Chapter 28 Islamic Empires
Ottoman, Safavid & Mughal
So called “Gunpowder
Empires”
• All 3 empires are nomadic Turkish from the steppes
of central Asia
• Retain tradition but adapt to city based agricultural
societies they conquered
• Ottoman conquer Anatolia, Safavid - Persia and
Mughal India
• All 3 Islam
• Height = 16th & early 17th century
• Mid 17th century cease to expand (their man source
of wealth) also waste money on war & lack of
investment in infrastructure
Problems of multi-ethnic
empires
• When conservative Muslim leaders
want to impose strict Islam they faced
resentment from minority populations
Ottoman Empire 1289-1923
• Osman and his followers were Sunni
Muslims and ghazi, or religious warriors
• Expand from base at Edirne expand into
Balkans
• Plunder and land grants finance their
regime (like Daimyo and knights)
Devshirme
• Orthodox Christian Balkan boys taken
as slaves & converted to Islam
• From there they either enter
bureaucracy or the military as
Janissaries
Under Mehmet II
• Tightly centralized absolute monarchy
governed from Istanbul (after Byzantine
Empire is defeated in 1453)
• Conquers Serbia, Greece, Albania &
Genoese ports in Crimea.
• Long naval war with Venice
Under Suleyman “the
lawgiver” 1512 - 20
• Get to gates of Vienna v Habsburg
• Inherit Mamluk navy
• Challenge Portugese in Red Sea &
Indian Ocean*
Safavid
• Shah Ismail’s (1501-24) “qizilbash
warriors” Twelver Shiism which they
force on Sunni population
• Produce hatred among Ottoman Sunnis
who fear the spread of the Twelvers.
• In turn, Ottoman ruler, Selim the Grim
persecutes Shiites in Ottoman Empire
Ottomans defeat Sunnis at
Chaldiran in 1514
• Shah Abbas the Great revives the
Safavid 1588-1624
• He seeks European help v Ottoman
Mughal Empire
• Babur no religious pretense like the
other empires - conquers Delhi in 1526
• His grandson was Akbar 1556-1605
dictator destroys Hindu Empire of
Vijayanagar.
• Religiously tolerant encourages
syncretic Islam - Hindu faith (Sikh)
Mughals reach height under
Aurangzeb
• He’s a devout Muslim and sacks Hindu
temples
• Head tax on Hindus (like Caliphate)
All 3 empires were military
creations
• Empires seen as personal property of
rulers by right of conflict reflecting
steppe traditions
• Bloody succession struggles (based on
charismatic leader)
• Women are important in fact if not
tradition (Chinggis Kahn’s wife and
mother)
Agriculture and Trade
• Agriculture used to finance armies &
bureaucracy
• Usually wheat & rice
• Columbian Exchange had less of a
dramatic effect (except tobacco &
coffee) than in China for instance
Demography
• India 105M - 1500>>135M -1600; 165
M - 1700; 190M - 1800
• Ottoman increase (-28M 1500-1600
mainly from conquest
Active Participation in global
trade
• Ottomans give trading concessions to
England & France.
• Safavids - English E. India Co., French E
India Co. get concessions
• Mughals concentrate on internal trade and its
land (not naval) empire. Allow Portugese,
English, French & Dutch trading station
Mughals
• Non Muslims protected people dhimmi
pay jizya handle own legal affairs.
• Toleration not popular among
conservative Muslims Arangzeb ends
toleration
All 3 Empires
• Emphasize emperor’s prestige via
public works and the patronage of
scholars
• Many splendid architectural wonders Taj Mahal, Topkapi Palace and Hagia
Sofia in Istanbul
Transition
• Safavid disappear; Mughals - by 1750
British rule India; and, 1700 O.Empire
lose control of Lebanon & Egypt
Reasons for downfall
• Incompetent rulers (as China)
• Infighting in royal houses promoting mutinies
and provincial revolts
• Religious tensions caused by conservative
Muslims including Wahhabi Movement (now
in Saudi Arabia) call Ottoman dangerous
innovators. Gets rulers to pull plug on
printing press and astronomy
Causes of Downfall
• Loss of foreign trade to Europeans
• High cost of military & bureaucracy
• Once military expansion slows they
raise money by upping taxes, selling
public offices and bribes
• Content to allow European penetration
without projecting their products as
exports
Causes of Downfall
• No native armaments guns/cannons they
have grow obsolete
• Conservative ethos - few Muslims travel to
infidel lands of the Franks
• Feel W. European innovations are impious
and unneeded
• Like Ming, Qing & Tokagawa resist
introduction of cultural, scientific and
philosophic influences from W. Europe