1. The Gunpowder Empires of the Middle East: Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal
Comparative Empires
The Gunpowder Empires of the Middle East: Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal

2. Gunpowder: Varying degrees of impact
New gunpowder weapons had some impact in most parts of the inhabited world, but each place reacted differently.
In China & Japan, for example, guns were allowed minimal influence
China: used for war, but seen as an unclean career choice
Japan: used
kept themselves isolated, but then paid a high price, in the 19th century, by being vulnerable to the West
But while the West’s exploitation of gunpowder weapons enabled them to become wealthy & to dominate much of the globe, the effort cost countless lives & helped to keep Europe embroiled in war for much of modern history

3. The Gunpowder Empires (1400-1800)
Nomadic Invasions by Mongols led to changes in Muslim world
Ottomans
Safavids
Mughal
Competition led to important political and military clashes…challenge for power

5. Ottoman Empire 1301-state founded by Osman (Ottoman)
fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans (Mehmed II the Conqueror)
reign of Sulieman I the Magnificent
1529- first siege of Vienna – marked the end of Ottoman expansion into Europe
1571- Battle of Lepanto, first major defeat of the Ottomans by the Europeans
1683- second siege of Vienna (Often called the Battle of Vienna)
Treaty of Karlowitz, beginning of the end for the Ottomans - Austria, Poland, and Venice take major chunks of the Balkans from the Ottomans
19th Century: Sick Man of Europe
collapse of the Empire (rise of the Young Turks)

6. Social Structure Ottoman family held power – Sultan head
Personal slaves
Devshirme
Janissaries
Social and religious administration separate.
Janissaries: 30,000 conquered peoples from Christian territories
Devshirme: boys taken from families, educated, converted to Islam, trained as soldiers…often a better opportunity for boys…chance to rise to government post

7. Suleiman the Lawgiver (AKA the Magnificent)
Military leader
Strong naval power
Expansion ends at Vienna: 1529
Turns to domestic affairs

8. Decline
Incapable leaders (addicted to drink, drugs and harem pleasures)
Increasingly oppressive policies Peasant discontent and rebellion
Naval losses – Lepanto was only the beginning!
Internal conflict- many religions, many tribes, never a melting pot!
Dissolved with the creation of the nation of Turkey after World War I

11. Safavid Persia

12. Safavid Empire Iranian origin Aligned with Shi’ite branch of Islam
Persecuted on religious grounds by Ottoman Sunni Muslims
Powerful army
The Safavids (named after a sufi master, Shaykh Safi) forged for themselves an illustrious genealogy that goes back to Ali, and proceeded to forcibly change Iran into a Shi’ite state.

13. Leadership Ismai’il – brilliant warrior Red Cap army
Shi’ite Islam as state religion in Iran
Must convert to Shi’ism
Ottomans and Safavids disagree on religious tolerance
Isfahan becomes the capitol
“redheads”
Ismai’il: 14 years old
Seized what is now Iran
Shah as title
Order death to anyone who does not covert
Selim the Grim did the same to Shi’a in Ottoman empire

14. Golden Age of Safavids: 1587
Shah Abbas, or Abbas the Great
Golden Age?
Drew from best of the Ottoman, Persian and Arab worlds
Abbas encouraged Chinese and Europeans to settle in his empire and to share their knowledge
Persia became known for its carpets and began to trade more frequently with Europeans
As demand increased for Persian carpets Abbas sent artists to Italy to study with Raphael to learn European design and blend it with traditional Persian designs
Chinese artisans brought, collaboration gave rise to fabulous artwork, rebuild capital city of Isfanhan
Carpets: local craft to national industry

15. Decline Incompetent leaders Tribal armies taking over area
Sunni family took control!!!
Killing family members to keep another from claiming power
Tribal armies from Afghanistan taking over E portions of Safavid realm, Ottomans from the west
Nadir Shah Afshar: Sunni

17. Mughal India
Dynasty whose founder Babur ( ) descended from Genghis Khan and Timur, hence the name
They ruled most of India for three centuries before direct British rule was set in 1858
The period between Babur's reign and 1707, when five of his descendants, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangazeb ruled is considered the age of the Great Mughals

18. Mughal Expansion Most areas conquered were Hindu
Akbar (r – 1605), third Mughal Emperor was extremely tolerant of other religions
Akbar was interested in spirituality; enjoyed having scholars from numerous faiths hold debates
Opened government jobs to Hindu; giving the Hindu population the sense that it was a part of the ruling system
Eliminated non-Muslim tax, making all subjects fiscally equal regardless of religious beliefs.
At one point, Akbar even created his own religion – a synthesis of what he thought was best about Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and several other faiths.
Failed! Why?

19. Akbar’s Successors
Akbar’s successors, Jahangir, Jahan, and Aurangzeb rescinded religious tolerance
Non-Muslim tax reinstated
Hindus removed from government posts
Revoked Hindu status as “people of the book”
by 1857, India had broken up into a multitude of different states ruled through the various cultures and belief systems of the majority inhabitants, and while a Mughal Emperor still sat on the throne, the English Queen actually ruled the subcontinent through a system of divide and conquer

20. Architecture Taj Mahal: 20,000 workers, 22 years
The Taj Mahal is the best example of Mughal architecture – a blending of Hindu, Persian, Turkish and Islamic styles.
While the Taj Mahal is loved for its beauty and romantic story, the Indian people paid high taxes and suffered while their rulers lived extravagantly.

21.                            
Taj Mahal: 20,000 workers for 22 yearsIt was built by Akbar’s great grandson, Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumataz Mahal.
While these beautiful things were being built, the common people suffering
Royal court in disarray
Aurangzeb takes over

22. Gender Reform under Akbar
Akbar was ahead of his time involving thoughts about position of women.
Encouraged widow remarriage
Discouraged child marriages
Prohibited sati burning of widows
Relief for women in purdah (seclusion) market days for women only

23. Decline Rajputs rebel! Outbreak of wars with Sikhs and Rajputs
War is expensive= taxes
No loyalty to leader
Weakened central state, power of local lords grew
Trade with Europe increases