Chapter 27 Gunpowder Empires

Who and what were the Gunpowder Empires? Large multiethnic empires in Southwest, Central, and South Asia Relied on firearms to conquer Included – Russia, Ming & Qing China, Japan, Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal – high point of Muslim military and political power All three declined by 1750 while sea based empires thrived

Overall Similarities Besides all being Muslim based empires – they were Nomadic Turks who spoke Turkish Took over as Mongol khanates fell Depended on large armies with artillery/cannons (gunpowder) All rose to power due to military might coupled with weakness and corruption of empires they replaced European competition amongst each other allowed these 3 empires to rise as well.

Tamerlane – Timur the Lame Conquered central Asia = set in motion for the rise of 3 empires Used gunpowder to build powerful empire Used it also to protect routes on Silk Road Most of his empire fell because No effective political government structure Costs of wars Descendant – Babur would take over & rule India (Mughal Empire)

Ottoman Empire 1300s-1918 Mehmed II (responsible for the fall of Constantinople 1453) Constantinople to Istanbul is created (Sunni Muslims) Expanded into Black Sea & Balkans area (Christian lands) In 14th cent – they started the devshirme system = Christian boys recruited by force to serve in Ottoman Empire as “slaves” Some served in government Others became Janissaries (elite soldiers) – allowed social mobility Overtime their power grew, along with viziers (head of government) – both challenged sultans power War with Venice – Built powerful navy but unable to win – Venice pays annual tribute Expanded into Middle East and N. Africa Istanbul becomes center of Islamic world

Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent (often called the greatest of the Ottoman rulers) Significance – expanded the empire into central Europe enforced religious tolerance oversaw a period cultural & artistic activity (ex: ceramics, textiles, architecture, and calligraphy) established an effective government bureaucracy–known in the Islamic world as “Suleiman the Lawgiver” for his legal reforms

Ottoman Decline Prior to decline – Istanbul was economically vibrant and cosmopolitan Political and economic corruption led to decline Reached limits of expansion Inept rulers and problems of succession (steppe tradition) Lost control of Mediterranean and parts of Indian Ocean to Europeans (Sick Man of Europe) Central gov’t lost control of local gov’t – Local officials taxed peasants – led to peasant revolts Janissaries demand for more pay Rulers reduced amount of land owning cavalrymen to pay Janissaries Economic inflation Value of silver declines becomes of influx Tax revenues laws remained the same (religious laws limited gov’ts ability to reform taxes) therefore silver collected had less value

Cultural Isolation Islamic clerics insulated the empire from new cultural and tech developments in Europe Viewed their civilization superior to European (sound familiar?) This attitude kept them from understand changes taking place in world Coffee houses allowed for intellectual & social exchanges Printing press brought by Jews expelled from Spain But not allowed to print in Turkish or Arabic = untouched by print revolution

Safavid Empire A Shiite based empire clashed with Sunni Ottomans (present today) Ruled central government via theocracy (present today) Had no real navy or natural barriers for defense Shah Abbas I 1587 -1629 Ruled during height of Safavid Also used Christians for military service Invited European advisors and technology Took control of the strait of Hormuz = allowed British to begin interest in Iran Isfahan not as cosmopolitan nor did it have favorable merchant policies as Istanbul Decline Sunni Pashtuns (Afghanistan) took Isfahan = centralization and tax problems arose for Safavid Inflation of silver also caused similar problems Lost territory to Ottomans and Russians

Ottoman and Safavid – Comparisons Similarities Both land powers (did not focus on the sea even though Ottoman navy much larger than all 3) Used a land grant system to support an army Both began to decline around the same time (1750s) Role of women in society (they could retain their property after getting married, but seldom in public. They could also divorce). Differences Although mostly Sunni, there was religious tolerance in the Ottoman Empire (early on), Strictly Shia in Safavid Culture (Arabic vs. Persian languages), (architecture included more turquoise & mosaic tiles in Safavid) The Safavids were at first reluctant to adopt gunpowder

Mughal Empire 300 year dynasty Babur’s (founder) grandson Akbar ruled during height Akbar 1556-1605 – most capable Extended empire south and westward Strong centralized gov’t with zamindars (local officials) Brought enormous prosperity and stability Zamindars paid with land grants (eventually grow corrupt) Kept more tax monies to themselves and built private armies Tolerant of all religions (also married Hindu women) Gave Hindus positions in gov’t Hindus exempt from poll taxes Shah Jahan continued Akbar’s policies Built Taj Mahal for his deceased wife Mughal’s combined Islamic art = decorative geometric designs Aurangzeb – empire weakened by corruption & enemies Not tolerant of Hindus Mughals lose power to British by 19th cent

The 3 Muslim Empires Similarities Land grant systems (soldiers got land for service for which they could tax inhabitants) - similar to feudalism/Theme System? Land powers, no real emphasis on a navy–Muslim–Decline around the same time All three decline with rising European trading co. and harm politics (internal family tension) Differences Mughal India much farther away from the heart of the Islamic / Arab world, even more so than Safavid Religious toleration (Ottomans allowed people to hold onto prior identities. Safavid was strict Shia became more tolerant Mughal was tolerant then became intolerant)