1. The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires 1450-1750

2. Overview All began w/Turkic nomadic culture
All formed in wake of Mongols
All contributed to artistic, cultural renaissance in Islam
All spread Islam to new regions
All were great military, political powers
All built empires based on use of firearms (“Gunpowder Empires”)

5. Ottomans Original power base-NW Turkey
Expanded west into Byzantine Empire, Balkans
Captured Constantinople in 1453-renamed Istanbul

6. Ottoman Cannon-
Wow, look at the
size of that thing!

7. Want the Hagia Sophia to become a mosque? Just add minarets.

8. Siege of Vienna failed-twice, limiting Ottoman expansion in Europe
Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Arabia all brought under Ottoman control (use of janissaries)
Siege of Vienna failed-twice, limiting Ottoman expansion in Europe
Siege of Vienna

9. Ottoman Rule Sultan was hereditary monarch
Extensive bureaucracy established (viziers, pashas, etc.)
Sharia law applied to Ottoman domains (ulema)
Religiously tolerant, but non-Muslims paid jizya
Suleiman the Magnificent

10. Decline Began by 1700 Problem of overexpansion
Bureaucracy became corrupt
Sultans became isolated
Failure to respond to challenge of Europeans
Struggled on until broken up by Euros in 1923
Corrupting Western influence…

11. Safavids Founded by (Shah) Ismail Safavi in 1501 Shi’a, not Sunni
Empire reached apex under Shah Abbas
New capital established in Isfahan

12. Isfahan, Iran

14. The Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan (1612-37)

15. All challenges to Shia Islam suppressed
Benefited as a crossroad of trade
Declined after 1629-succession problems
Afghans took Isfahan-1726 (religious and secular power remained separate)

17. Mughals Empire founded by Babur in 1526
Akbar brought most of India under his rule
-Married a Rajput
-Ended jizya
Urdu became official language
Art and architecture flourished

18. Delhi sacked by Persians in 1739
Mughal Empire continued in name only
British influence increasingly important after 1750

19. The Taj Mahal (1632-1653) built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal