1. Gunpowder Empires

2. Ottoman: Politics Important leaders: Osman, Mehmed II, Suleyman
Military ruling class
Janissaries
Devshirme
Religious figures as political advisors (Sunni)
Vizier stronger than the Sultan
Absolute rulers
Able monarchs
Tolerance shown to Dhimmis: commercial reasons
Elaborate court rituals: borrowed from Persian, Byzantine, Arabs
Weakness: no succession system

3. Economics and Culture Restored glory of Constantinople
Commerce thrived in early years of empire
Large merchant and artisan classes
Jews and Christians engaged as bankers & merchants
Strong guild system to rival medieval Europe
Cultural achievements:
Hagia Sophia(example of monumental building)
Aqueducts, rest houses, hospitals, schools
Miniature paintings, rugs
Coffee-houses
Suleymaniye Mosque

4. Ottoman decline Expansion ended by late 17th century
Certain territories lost
Corrupt govot. Officials
Ill-prepared rulers
Refusal to advance military tech.
Portuguese trade diminished Ottoman dominance
Inflation of silver
Ottoman arrogance to European advancements

5. Safavid: Political structure
Important leaders: Sail-a-Din, Abbas The Great
Warrior nobility: similar to feudal Europe
Persian administrators at top levels
Slaves within military and government, became powerful
Used European advisors for military technique
Strong religious presence: Shia Islam
Utilized Persian language
Elaborate court rituals

6. Religion Shi’a Islam Became more radical over time Pressure to convert
Became part of Iranian identity, not just political entity

7. Commerce & Culture Abbas I: Built roads and resthouses
Encouraged trade with Chinese & Europeans
Built magnificent mosques
Replicated Persian architecture

8. Safavid demise Quality of rulers declined Internal rebellions
Ottoman and Mughal pressure

9. Explain why the Battle of Chaldiran was so important
Took place in 1514
Ottoman vs Safavids
Sunni vs Shi’a
Showed the importance of gunpowder
Allowed Ottoman to become most powerful Islamic state

10. Compare the society and gender roles of the Ottoman and Safavid
Dominated by warrior aristocracies
Harsh treatment towards peasants leads to uprisings
Breakdown of state-sponsored aid
Both empires patronized arts and monumental building
Sought to increase international trade (better achieved by Ottoman)
Safavid economy: more constricted, less market oriented, backward
Women:
Subordinate to men in family
Seclusion & veiling

11. Mughal Empire:
Important leaders: Babur, Akbar (Contemporaneous with Elizabeth I, Philip of Spain, Suleyman & Abbas)
Akbar
Built strong military machine
Policy of cooperation with Hindu princes (intermarriage with Rajput rulers)
Abolished jizya (head tax on Hindu)
Promoted Hindu politicians to highest levels of govt
Built new Hindu temples
Social changes: banned sati, aid the poor, regulate alcohol, regulate purdah

12. Artistic achievement
Elaborate court ceremonies blending Indian and Persian culture
Game of polo
Taj Mahal
Indian cotton textiles (chintz, muslin)
Indian miniatures
However, fell behind in sciences and technology

13. Mughal Women Strong willed wives: Ordinary women’s status declined
Nur Jahan: wife of Shah Jahangir
Mumtaz Mahal: wife of Shah Jahann
Ordinary women’s status declined
Child brides
Sati reinstated
Seclusion increased
infanticide

14. Mughal Decline Internal rebellions/corruption
Lacking military techniques
Falling living standards -> peasant uprisings
Strained alliances, overextended military
Hindu Prince revolts
Economic exploitation