1. Ch. 28: Islamic Empires of the Early Modern Era

2. From 1300 to 1700, three “gunpowder empires” dominated parts of Europe, Africa, & Asia
The Safavid Empire
The Mughal Empire
The Ottoman Empire
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

3. These empires were unique, but shared some similarities:
All 3 empires were able to conquer neighboring people because they formed strong armies using cannons & artillery
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.
All 3 empires were Islamic & ruled by Muslim leaders with well-organized gov’ts made up of loyal bureaucrats
All 3 empires blended their culture with neighboring societies to create a high point of Islamic culture

4. The Ottoman Empire
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

5. The Ottomans: Empire Builders
Mongol invasions & fall of Abbasid Caliphate allowed Ottomans to build power base in Anatolia (Turkey)
Osman—early leader, dominated other Turkic groups
1350s--Expansion into Europe!
Mehmed II –Conquered Constantinople in 1453, w/ siege warfare, cannons
Then further into Europe—Greece, Albania, Black & Caspian Seas
Invaded Italy & attempted to capture Pope, but failed
Mehmed the Conqueror

6. Hagia Sophia after Ottoman Conquest

7. Ottoman Empire: A Military State?
Ghazi--Muslim religious warriors; “sword of God”
Military leaders played prominent role in Ottoman gov’t.
“Warrior aristocracy” competed w/ religious leaders for control of bureaucracy
Janissaries--conscripted boys (Christians), military slaves
received special training, learned Turkish language, & converted to Islam
Janissaries pledged loyalty to sultan (became his private army)—led to decline in role of aristocrats
A “Gunpowder Empire”—soldiers were outfitted with primitive gunpowder weapons & cannons

8. Ottoman Sultans & their Court
“Absolute” monarchs??
Sultans dealt with many factions
Ex.: Janissaries vs. religious scholars
Sultans were military leaders & ran an org. bureaucracy
Suleyman the Magnificent
Height of imperialism (conquered Baghdad & Belgrade)
Put pressure on Habsburgs and European vessels in Mediterranean
However, sultans grew distant/secluded; focused on large harems more than political and economic issues
Suleyman the Magnificent

9. Battle of Lepanto (vs. Austrian Hapsburgs, 1571)

10. Flowering of Ottoman Culture
Constantinople—bad scene immediately after 1453!
Mehmed began restoration; converted Hagia Sophia to mosque (Aya Sofya); built new mosques, palaces, hospitals, gardens, etc.
Adapted Byz ideas—aqueducts, concrete domes, markets, walls
Suleymaniye mosque is considered a hallmark of Ottoman architecture
Topkapi Palace housed gov’t offices, residence for sultan and his harem, pleasure pavilion, etc.

11. Inside the Topkapi Palace (Harem’s den?)
Suleiman Mosque
Inside the Topkapi Palace (Harem’s den?)

12. Flowering of Ottoman Culture
Cosmopolitan markets
Coffeehouses—place for men to gather, smoke, talk politics; key for social & cultural life in Constantinople, poets, scholars
Commerce regulated by Otto gov’t, inspectors, guilds controlled trade/quality/training
Linguistic heritage—Arabic used for law & religion, Turkish preferred for arts & bureaucracy
Artistic legacy—poetry, arabesque mosaics, ceramics, carpet, architecture

13. Ottoman Decline The Empire was officially dismantled after World War I
Ottoman Empire lasted 600 years; long-lived
REASONS for DECLINE:
Limits of expansion by late 17th C—no new conquests, started to lose landslost tax revenue
Corruption among gov’t. officials; local officials kept revenues & squeezed peasants for more rebellions!
Sultans became disconnected (focus on pleasure over governing)
viziers & Janissaries gained more power (were less loyal)
CULTURAL CONSERVATISM—ignorance of European advancements & resistance to printing press
Military technology fell by wayside (Ottomans continued to use large cannons when Europeans adapted light artillery)
The Empire was officially dismantled after World War I

14. The Safavid Empire
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

15. Safavid rulers were called shahs, using the Persian title for king
Unlike the Ottomans who were Sunni Muslims, the Safavids believed in Shi’a Islam & strictly converted the people they conquered
The Safavid Empire
41a - describe the geographical extent of the Ottoman Empire during the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Safavid Empire during the reign of Shah Abbas I, and the Mughal Empire during the reigns of Babur and Akbar
41b - explain the ways in which these Muslim empires influenced religion, law and the arts in their parts of the world
The Safavids were Turks living in Persia who built a powerful gunpowder army & created an empire in modern-day Iran
Safavid rulers were called shahs, using the Persian title for king

16. the Safavid Empire: Shiite v. Sunni
Rose from Turkic nomads (post-Mongols & Tamerlane)
“Frontier warriors”—Shi’ites
Differences over views on caliph grew into doctrinal, ritual & legal differences conflict!
Safi al-Din—a Sufi mystic; led campaign to purify & reform Islam) among Turks in early 1300s
Isma’il—was proclaimed shah (emperor) by 1501; conquered most of Persia & waged war w/ Ottomans

17. the Safavid Empire: Shiite Rule
Shah Isma’il proclaimed Twelver Shiism the offical religion of his realm
Twelver Shi’ites believe there were 12 rightful imams after Muhammad (12th was driven into hiding)
Believed he will return to lead them & spread the “true” religion
Qizilbash-followers who wore “red hats” w/ 12 pleats to symbolize the 12 imams
Battle of Chaldiran, 1514
battle w/Ottomans (Sunnis); driven by religious fervor
Safavids declined to use artillery, dismissing it as “unmanly” and unreliable (they also believed the Shah could make them invincible)
Safavid loss in the battle hindered growth of Shiite sect (Shiite rule became confined to Persia)

18. the Safavid Empire: Shi’ite Rule
Shah Abbas I
Encouraged trade (regionally & even w/ Europeans)
Moved capital to Isfahan (cultural center)
Promoted culture & the arts
Building projects: great mosques, universities, gardens, bath houses
Arts: miniatures, mosaics, carpets
Society & Gender roles
Patriarchy (based on Sharia law)
Women had legal disadvantages
Seclusion & veiling, imposed on all, but especially elites

19. Safavid silk carpet
Persian Miniature

20. Shah Mosque
Isfahan,

22. Decline & fall of Safavids
Shah Abbas I paranoid: blinded or killed suitable successors
Practice of secluding princesweak leaders
Foreign threats--nomads, Ottomans, Mughals
March-Oct. 1722: Afghani attacks, Isfahan fell
Nadir Khan Afshar—winner of post-fall struggles for control; self-proclaimed shah in 1736; short-lived
Region became battleground for stronger neighbors

23. The Mughal Empire
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

24. Mughals in India
Babur
Expulsion from steppes = motivation for conquest
Turkic background
Used mobile artillery & cavalry to defeat larger Lodi force; scared the elephants!
outnumbered, defeated Hindu kings
Character: military strategist, fighter, patron of arts & music, writer, musician, designer of gardens
Capital at Delhi
Babur’s victory at Panipat, 1526

25. Mughals in India Akbar height of Mughal rule
Had a vision for unity in empire
Social reforms: reconciliation w/Hindu princes, ended jizya, Hindus in bureaucracy, allowed widows to remarry, discouraged child marriages, made sati illegal, relief from purdah (seclusion)
Tolerance & universal religion: “Divine Faith”
Hindu warrior aristocrats controlled peasant villages; local controls left to support centralized gov’t
Economy: collected income via tribute, taxes

26. Mughal Architecture
Red Fort, Taj Mahal (built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife)
Blends Persian & Hindu traditions (domes, arches, minarets w/ornamentation)
Symmetry, color, creativitycreate paradise on earth
Taj Mahal
Agra, India

27. Decline of Mughal India
Peace & stability weakened by religious tensions between Muslims, Hindus, Sufis, and Sikhs
Sikhism: new sect in NW India, tried to bridge diff bet Hinduism & Islam, but persecution of Sikhs led to a rise in anti-Muslim feelings
From Shah Jahan’s reign on, rulers began to ignore admin., milit., & social needs for reform
Econ production & standard of living declined
Rulers conquered new lands, but spent lots of money & did not grow bureaucracy to govern them
Peasant uprisings, revolts of local Hindu princes
Local officials taking revenues from central gov’t
Invaders
Open to foreign influence—England waiting for economic opportunity & colonization
                              

28. Siege attack on Rajput forces
                              
                                 
Akbar riding an elephant

29. Madonna and Child
Turkey commissioned by Jahangir

30. Shah Jahan’s elephant
Indian Bird