Unit Four – Post-Classical Asia and Beyond (Ch. 10 Jarrett)

Ottomans Rulers of the Anatolia, the Arab world and much of southern and eastern Europe in the 16 th century. They transformed themselves from nomadic warrior bands who roamed the borderlands between Islamic and Christian worlds in Anatolia into sovereigns of a vast, bureaucratic empire. The Ottomans embraced a Sunni view of Islam. They adapted traditional Byzantine governmental practices but tried new ways of integrating the diverse peoples of their empire.

Suleiman the Magnificent Ottoman ruler who helped the empire reach its heights by the mid 1500’s

Safavid Empire The Safavids created a great Islamic empire in Persia in the early 1500’s. Members of a Turkish tribe, the Safavids were Shi’ite Muslims

Tamerlane Turkish-Mongol ruler, expanded his kingdom from Samarkand into Persia, Afghanistan, Russia, Syria, Turkey and Northern India

Taj Mahal Royal palace of the Mughal Empire, built by Shah Jahan in the 17 th century in homage to his wife; Mumtaz

Sikhism Islamic/Hindu- inspired religion that calls on its followers to renounce the caste system and to treat all believers as equal to God.

Tang Dynasty Chinese regime ( ) that promoted a cosmopolitan culture, turning China into the hub of East Asia cultural integration, while expanding the borders of their empire. In order to govern such a diverse emprie, the Tang established a political culture and civil service based on Confucian teachings. Candidates for the civil service were required to take examinations, the first of their kind in the world.

Song Dynasty Chinese dynasty that took over the mandate of heaven for three centuries starting in 976. It ruled an era of many economic and political successes, but it eventually lost northern China to nomadic tribes.

Samurai Japanese warriors, (knights on horseback) who made up the private armies of the Japanese daimyos.

Mongol Empire Combination of nomadic and prairie peoples who lived by hunting and livestock herding and were expert horsemen. Beginning in 1206, the Mongols launched a series of conquests that brought far-flung parts of the world together under their rule. By incorporating conquered peoples and adapting some of their costumes, the Mongols created a unified empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the shores of the eastern Mediterranean and the southern steppes of Eurasia.

Ghengis Khan Chinggis Khan (Genghis) united the varies Mongols tribes during the 1200’s and established the world’s largest empire.

Kublai Khan Mongol leader ( ) who seized southern China after 1260 and founded the Yuan Dynasty.

Yaun Dynasty A Dynasty established by the Mongols after the defeat of the Song. The Yuan Dynasty was strong from 1280 to 1368; its capital was at Dadu, or modern-day Beijing.

Marco Polo Venice merchant who journeyed along the Silk Road and visited China in the 1270’s

Ming Dynasty In, 1368, the Mongols were overthrown by a Chinese monk, who established the Ming Dynasty. China enjoyed 300 years of peace and prosperity under the Ming Dynasty. Ming emperors expanded the empire to include Korea, Burma and Vietnam. Constructed an immense imperial palace in Beijing, known as the Forbidden City

Sultan Islamic political leader, in the Ottoman Empire. The sultan combined a warrior ethos with an unwavering devotion to Islam.

Grand Canal The Grand Canal, connecting Beijing, the Hwang Ho, and the Yangtze River, was used to ship grain within China.

Daimyo Ruling lords who commanded private armies in pre-Meji Japan

Ivan the Great Russian Tsar who in 1480 declared Muscovy’s independence from the Mongols

Akbar the Great The most famous Mughal ruler ( ) was Babur’s grandson, Akbar the Great Akbar conquered neighboring Muslim and Hindu states, uniting Northern India under his rule

Zheng He Chinese explorer who sailed to the coasts of India and Arabia

Tsar Russian word derived from the Latin Caesar to refer to the Russian rulers of Kiev, and eventually to all rulers in Russia

Shah Jahn Mughal ruler ( ), showed less sympathy for Hindus. He imposed special taxes on them and ordered the destruction of many Hindu temples Built the Taj Mahal for his wife Mumtaz.

Footbinding Footbinding was practiced under the Song Dynasty. It limited the mobility of the female and gave wealthy women small feet, which was considered attractive, but often made walking difficult.