Gunpowder and Empire

Gunpowder… First used in warfare by Chinese in 10 th century Used by Ming dynasty in artillery against Mongols. Spread to Mongols and then to the Middle East and Europe.

What were the effects of the trade and spread of gunpowder and firearms? Growth of large empires Made existing castles obsolete Use of horses and cavalry in battle became less important Armies became much larger Power of aristocracy declined War casualties (soldiers & civilians) much higher

Growth of large empires Firearms and similar weapons were expensive. and complex. Only wealthy states could afford them The trade in these weapons became a monopoly of centralized states. These states used their advanced weapons and power to take over surrounding states. Many of these states are referred to as “gunpowder empires”.

For example… In 1450 Europe had about 600 independent states but contained only around 15 by the 1800s. About 30 independent political units were absorbed into the Russian empire. The Mughals unified India’s numerous kingdoms.

Gunpowder Empires What is a “gunpowder empire”?  An empire formed by outside conquerors who unified regions largely based on the mastery of firearms.

Who were the “Gunpowder Empires”? Most historians would classify the following empires as gunpowder empires:  Ottoman Empire  Safavid Empire  Mughal Empire

Castles Existing castle designs with majestic towers became obsolete. Fortresses with sloping walls, shaped like stars to deflect cannon shot were adopted. Sieges became more important battle strategy.

Star-shaped fortresses

Horses & cavalry Traditional cavalry charges were ineffective in the face of artillery and concentrated musket-fire.

Armies Most states began investing in better disciplined and more politically reliable permanent troops. The size of armies grew because now it was easier and less expensive to train a man in the use of a musket. Some argue that this was the beginning of national unity and patriotism as more men were drawn in from across the nation into an organized army.

Aristocracy The ancestral castles of the aristocracy in Western Europe were no longer useful defenses against artillery. The cavalry, usually made up mostly by the elite, was fading in importance.

Casualties More troops involved in fighting. (King of France had 20,000 men fighting in 1550 but had up to 500,000 by 1700.) Improvements in weapons technology and techniques made war more deadly. Larger armies led to the devastation of civilian areas in an effort to feed themselves. This resulted in famines. Conflicts lasted longer and battles were often sieges of fortified towns. Lack of a clear set of rules concerning the treatment of prisoners and non-combatants meant many were killed.

Let’s take a closer look… Ottoman Safavid Mughal

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire was established by the Osman Turks who began expanding in the 14 th century. By the 1500s the empire stretched from North Africa, Mesoptamia, and into eastern Europe under Suleyman I.

Osman, founder of Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Empire

Mehmet II-Conqueror of Constantinople

Mehmet II

Safavid Empire Founded by Shah Ismail, the new Persian state, the Safavid empire extended over much of what is Iraq and Iran today. The Safavids reached their high point under Shah Abbas ( ).

Safavid Empire

Mughal Empire Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, used firearms and artillery in the early 1500s.

Akbar, a descendant of Barbur, also used gunpowder weapons in expanding the Mughal Empire.  A Mughal engineer invented the autocannon, the earliest multi-shot gun

Akbar died in 1605 and was succeeded by his son Jahangir who fell under the influence of one of his wives, Nur Jahan. Nur Jahan married her niece to her husband’s third son, Shah Jahan who became his father’s successor. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Shah Jahan’s rule was marred by his failure to deal with domestic problems. His military campaigns and building projects put a heavy strain on the treasury. He became ill and a power struggle erupted between two of his sons. Aurangzeb had his brother put to death and imprisoned his father.

Aurangzeb was the most controversial ruler in the history of India.  He reversed the Mogul policies of religious tolerance, prohibiting the building of new Hindu temples and forced Hindus to convert to Islam.  Forbade gambling, drinking, illegal taxes  He attempted to eliminate the Hindu custom of suttee.

Suttee (sati) Practice of a widow burning herself on the funeral pyre with the body of her husband.

Suttee  Appears to at first to have been a royal custom and privilege.  Abolished by British in 1829, but was practiced in isolated cases in remote parts of India until recent times.