III. The Mughal Empire (1526-1761)
A. Foundations Muslim sultans reigned over largely Hindu population of India founder: Babur (1483-1530) was a descendent of the Mongol ruler Timur (“Mughal” is Persian for “Mongol”) 3. Akbar “the Great” expanded empire to all of India –promoted Hindu-Muslim coexistence (married a Hindu princess) –wealthy due to cotton trade
B. Military & Politics Mughals lacked a powerful navy used Dutch & English trade ships for military support in exchange for trade privileges 3. rajputs: Hindu princes who held positions of power in Mughal government
Taj Mahal: architectural example of the blending of Hindu and Muslim culture
C. Society & Religion Lower social castes converted to Islam 2. Sikhism: blended Hindu & Muslim beliefs –an “army of the pure” (didn’t cut hair, wore turbans, bracelets, and carried a sword to prove devotion)
D. Decline of “Gunpowder” Empires All three Muslim empires: collapsed due to their inability to adjust to complex changes in military technology & the global economy 2. too much taxation for warfare 3. internal conflict
4. fell behind Europe in invention & sciences European advantages: – ship design, use of cannons on ships – joint-stock companies in new global financial system
IV. Islam in E. Africa & S.E. Asia
A. Swahili Coast “sawahil”: Arabic for coast 2. Swahili: pidgin trade language made up of a mixture of Bantu speakers, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese during 1600s Portuguese lose much of Swahili Coast & Arabian entrepots – keep Mozambique (E. Africa), Goa (India), Macao/Timor (S.E. Asia)
B. East Indies Islam spread rapidly in S.E. Asia in the 1300’s 2. Acheh Sultanate adopts Islam in 1600s - Dutch seize Strait of Malacca from Portugal in 1641 3. Resistance to Portuguese, Spanish, & Dutch by Muslims “Moros” in the Phillipines largest Muslim country today: Indonesia
ACHEH SULTANATE (Malacca) MOROS (Philippines)
Thesis Writing Exercise What were the major economic and social similarities and differences between the “Gunpowder” empires?
The Gunpowder Empires (Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals) SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES Economic: 1. 2. 3. Social: