The Islamic Empires Chapter 27

(Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal) Formation of the Islamic Empires (Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal)

The Ottoman Empire Osman & Mehmed the Conqueror Ottoman Expansion Suleyman the Magnificent Founder of dynasty 1289-1923 bey=chief, semi-nomadic Turks Osman & followers strive To be ghazi=Muslim religious Warriors Waged holy wars Capitals: Bursa & Edirne Bursa became major Commercial and intellectual Center Ghazi two forces: light Cavalry & volunteer infantry Devrshirme: conversion Of Christian boy to Administration or Janissaries= Military soldiers Gunpowder weapons 1451-1481 Captured Constantinople= New Ottoman capital and New name Istanbul Istanbul became Commercial center Not just warrior but emperor “two lands” “two seas” Tightly centralized Absolute monarchy Military face no rivals 1512-1520 Continued to expand Empire SW Asia & Europe Became major naval Power Was able to challenge Christian and Portuguese vessels

Battle of Chaldiran & Shah Safavid Empire Battle of Chaldiran & Shah Abbas the Great The Safavids Twelver Shiism 12 infallible imams After Muhammed Starting with prophet’s Cousin Ali Qizilbash=red heads Suggested Ismail Was a hidden imam or Incarnation of Allah Most Muslims saw This as blasphemous Qizilbash felt Invincible in battle Battle between Shiite Safavids & Sunni Ottomans Ottomans led with heavy Artillery & Janissaries Safavids thought they were Protected Intermittent for 2 centuries After Ismail, successor s Abandon radicalism & lean to More conventional Twelver Shiism Shah Abbas the Great (1588- 1629) Encouraged trade, reformed Administration & military Shah Ismail (1252-1334) Manipulated rise to Power story Ancestry traced back to Sufi religious leader Changed religious Preference several times Before settling, due to Nomadic Turkish tribes

Mughal Empire Babur Akbar Aurangzeb Claimed descent From Chinggis Khan & Tamerlane Attempted to expand Authority into India through Firearms and gunpowder Weapons Cared little for land of India Take spoils and leave Began Mughal empire= Persian for Mongol . Embrace almost all Indian subcontinent 1556-1605 Killed Adham Khan Didn’t tolerate those That challenged him Centralized administration w/ministries to watch over Provinces Allowed for religious toleration (Hindu & Muslim) Called for syncetic religious blend That would focus emperor as a Common ruler to all 1659-1707 Reached greatest Extent Presided over Troubled empire No religious Toleration Destroyed Hindu Temples & taxed Hindus Local leaders Begin rebellions & resistance

Imperial Islamic Society

The Dynastic State The Emperors & Islam Steppe Traditions Women and Politics Early emperors often Did as pleased with disregard For religious and social norms Steppe practices lead to Problems of succession Problems:Conflicts, rebellions, challenges In Ottoman empire legal to Kill brother Sons received administrive Power in provinces in the Ottoman empire In Islam women have No role in public affairs Influence was often Private In Ottoman empire, Emperor’s mother & Chief wife receive Privileges Empires were military Creations based off of Possession Prestige & authority Derived from piety & Military Devotion of Islam leads To expansion of new lands Ghazi’s fight infidels

Agriculture and Trade Population Growth & Trade Food Crops Tobacco Population in empires Increased due to intensive Agriculture 1600 Ottoman empire Declines due to loss of land Long-distance trade successful In the Islamic empires Ottoman empire had commercial Capital Bursa Safavids had commercial Center Isfahan Mughals allowed trading stations In their land Introduced by English Merchants, medicinal Entrepreneurs est. Coffeehouses for coffee and Tobacco Some in society were Against tobacco and coffee Attempted to get rid of It, proved unsuccessful Agricultural economies Financed armies and Bureaucracies Colombian exchange Brought American crops But little effects Encouraged consumption Of tobacco and coffee

Religious Affairs in the Islamic Empires Religious Diversity Christian Mission in India Akbar’s Divine Faith Wanted religious Synthesis to unify Empire “Divine Faith”= loyalty To emperor w/different Religious traditions Mostly drew on Islam, Monotheistic “Lord of Wisdom” Religious and ethnically Diverse, had to be kept under Control Ottomans: Christian & Jews Safavids: Zoroastrian, Jews Christians Mughals: Muslims & Hindus Portuguese Goa center Of Christian mission in India Attempt to attract converts (schools) Attempt to convert Akbar Emperor declined to commit To exclusive faith

Religious Affairs in the Islamic Empires Status of Religious Minorities Promotion of Islam Est method to deal w/non- Muslims in the empire “dhimmi”=protected people, Paid “jizya”=tax Retained personal freedoms “millet”=autonomous religious Communities retaining their civil laws Policies of religious tolerance Not popular with Muslims Worried it would lead to Hindu Absorption in caste system Mughals created Islamic state with Islamic law Aurengzeb reinstates jizya creates Cultural tensions

Cultural Patronage of the Islamic Emperors Fatehpur Sikri & the Taj Mahal Istanbul Isfahan Capital cities and royal Palaces were visible Expressions of imperial Majesty Ottoman pride in Istanbul Prosperous city Topkapi palace=gov’t Offices, mint, meeting Places, sultan’s residence One of the most precious Jewels of urban architecture Palaces emphasized Natural settings with gardens And pools, inner courts and gates Mughal’s regarded their capital Wherever their ruler was Private residence and Retreat for ruler Mughal display of piety And devotion Incorporated Indian Elements Tah Mahal was a Mughal monument

The Empires in Transition

Deterioration of Imperial Leadership Dynastic Decline Religious Tensions All 3 dynasties had incompetent Rulers who cared more for themselves Than their empire Late 17th c. provoked mutinies in Armies, revolts, political corruption, Economic oppression and insecurtiy Political troubles arose from religious Tensions. Ottoman: disaffected religious students Often joined the Janissaries in revolt

Economic and Military Decline Economic Difficulties Military Decline The cost of military and Administration led to decline In Islamic empires Became difficult to support Empire that was limited in Resources Empires lost control over Provinces, raised taxed after Losing revenues, bribery, selling offices Military decline because they did Not seek to improve their technologies European technology was advancing So quickly that it became difficult For empires to keep up.

Cultural Conservatism Piri Reis Cultural Confidence The Printing Press Resistance from Conservatives to the new Inventions of the Europeans Printing press was Not as popular in Islamic Empires as in Europe Aesthetics were more Preferred Feared what the printing Press could do to the Islamic society Believed in their superiority And felt they had nothing to Learn from Europeans Remained oblivious to European Culture and developments Ottoman reconoittered The Indian Ocean Basin from East Africa to Indonesia Produced large scale maps And navigational texts