Transcript Chapter 27

Chapter 27
The Islamic Empires
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The Islamic Empires, 1500-1800
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The Ottoman Empire (1289-1923)
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Founded by Osman Bey in 1289
Ottoman expansion into Byzantine empire
 Captures Anatolia with light cavalry and volunteer
infantry
 In Balkans, forced Christian families to surrender
young boys to military service: devshirme
 Often grew up to be exceptionally loyal Janissaries
 Effective use of gunpowder in battles and sieges
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Mehmed II
(“the Conqueror,” r. 1451-1481)
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Captured Constantinople in 1453; it became Istanbul,
the Ottoman capital
Absolute monarchy; centralized state
Transformation from warrior sultan to emperor of
“two lands” (Europe, Asia) and “two seas” (Black
Sea, Mediterranean)
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Süleyman the Magnificent
(r. 1520-1566)
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Sultan Selim the Grim (reigned 1512-1520) occupied
Syria and Egypt
Suleyman the Magnificent expanded into southwest
Asia and central Europe
Suleyman also built a navy powerful enough to
challenge European fleets
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The Safavid Empire
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The Safavids, Turkish conquerors of Persia and
Mesopotamia
 Founder Shah Ismail (reigned 1501-1524) claimed
ancient Persia title of shah.
Shah Abbas the Great (1588-1629) revitalized the
Safavid empire
 modernized military; sought European alliances
against Ottomans
 new capital at Isfahan; centralized administration
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Shiite Pilgrims at Karbala
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The Mughal Empire
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Babur (1523-1530), founder of Mughal (Persian for
Mongol) dynasty in India
Central Asian Turkish adventurer invaded India in
1523, seized Delhi in 1526
Gunpowder technology gives Babur advantage
By his death in 1530, Mughal empire embraced most
of India
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Akbar (r. 1556-1605)
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Akbar (reigned 1556-1605), a brilliant charismatic
ruler
 Created a centralized, absolutist government
 Encouraged religious tolerance between Muslims
and Hindus
 Developed a syncretic religion called "divine faith"
form of Islam and Hinduism
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Aurangzeb (r. 1659-1707)
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Demolished Hindu temples, replaced with
mosques
Tax on Hindus to encourage conversion
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Common Elements of Ottoman,
Safavid, and Mughal Empires
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Empires based on military conquest (“gunpowder
empires”)
Authority of dynasty derived from personal piety and
military prowess of rulers
 Autocratic: emperors imposed their will on the state
 Devotion to Islam encouraged rulers to extend their
faith to new lands
Royal women often wielded great influence on politics
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Agriculture and Population
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Food crops the basis of all three empires
 Imports of coffee and tobacco very popular
Population growth in the three empires less dramatic
than in China or Europe
 Significant population growth in India from more
intense agriculture
 Less dramatic growth in Safavid and Ottoman
realms
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Long Distance Trade
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Long-distance trade important to all three empires
 Ottoman and Safavid empires shared segments of
the east-west trade routes
 Safavids offered silk, carpets, and ceramics to
European trading companies
 Mughals permitted stations for English, French,
and Dutch trading companies
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Population Growth
200
180
160
140
120
Mughal
Safavid
Ottoman
100
80
60
40
20
0
1500
1600
1700
1800
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Religious Diversity
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Ottoman empire: Christians, Jews
Safavid empire: Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians
Mughal empire: Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians,
Christians, Sikhs
Religious diversity created challenges to the rule of
the empires
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Akbar
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Religious diversity in India under the rule of Akbar
 Jesuits welcomed at court of Akbar, but he was not
interested in an exclusive faith
 Akbar tolerated Sikhism, a new faith combining
elements of Hinduism and Islam
 Advocated syncretic "divine faith," emphasizing
loyalty to emperor
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Status of Religious Minorities
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Non-Muslim protected people
 Payment of special tax: jizya
 Freedom of worship, property, legal affairs
In Ottoman empire, conquered peoples protected, granted
religious and civil autonomy in their own communities
Mughal rule: Muslims supreme, but work in tandem with Hindus
 Under Akbar, jizya abolished
 In India, the Muslim rulers closely cooperated with Hindu
majority
 Under Aurangzeb: Islam proclaimed official state religion,
nonbelievers taxed
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Capital Cities
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All three sponsored arts and public works: mosques,
palaces, schools, hospitals, etc.
Istanbul, the Ottoman capital, a bustling city of a million
people
Isfahan, Safavid capital, the "queen of Persian cities"
Fatehpur Sikri, Mughal capital, created by Akbar
 Combined Islamic style with Indian elements
 Site abandoned because of bad water supply
 The Taj Mahal, exquisite example of Mughal
architecture
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Deterioration of Imperial Leadership
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Dynastic decline caused by negligent rulers, factions, and
government corruption
Tensions increased when religious conservatives
abandoned policies of tolerance
 Ottoman conservatives resisted innovations like the
telescope and printing press
 In Safavid empire: Shiite leaders urged the shahs to
persecute Sunnis, non-Muslims, and even the Sufis
 In Mughal India, Aurangzeb's policies provoked deep
animosity of Hindus
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Economic and Military Decline
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Foreign trade controlled by Europeans
Military, administrative network expensive to
maintain
Unproductive wars
European military technology advances faster
than Ottomans can purchase it
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Cultural Conservatism
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Europeans actively studying Islamic cultures for
purposes of trade, missionary activities
Islamic empires less interested in outside world
Swiftly fell behind in technological development
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E.g. Jews from Spain establish first printing press in
Anatolia in late fifteenth century
But printing of books in Turkish and Arabic forbidden
until 1729
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Handwritten books preferred, but weak levels of
dissemination
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