the muslim gunpowder empires. organizational questions 1. which state governs the largest empire?...
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THE MUSLIM GUNPOWDER EMPIRES
Organizational Questions
• 1. Which state governs the largest empire? Most multicultural? most populous?
• 2. How would the answers above make government difficult?
• 3. Which empire is nearest to Western Europe?• 4. How would proximity to Europe affect an empire?• 5. What modern states does each empire rule?• 6. Which state would be the most dependent on sea
power? Why?• 7. Which state would be the easiest and the most difficult
to defend? Why?
What were the similarities & differences between the three Muslim empires?
OTTOMAN-Anatolia Peninsula, Europe & Nth Africa-religious fervor & zeal for Islamic conversion-mostly Muslim, large Christian minority-Sunni Muslim
SAFAVID-Persia (Iran)-religious fervor & zeal for Islamic conversion-mostly Muslim-Shi’ia Muslim
MUGHAL-Northern India-rule pre-dominantly non-Muslim population
SIMILARITIES- origins in in Turkic nomadic raiders of Central Asia based on military conquest- oriented to support armies & military classes using firearms- effective use of firearms and siege warfare- ruled by a disputed succession of absolute monarchs-court rituals patterned after those of earlier Islamic dynasties-Taxed conquered peoples heavily
DIFFERENCES-Sunni (Ottoman and Mughal) v. Shi’ia (Safavid) enmity meant warring over territory & -persecuting adherents of rival brand of Islam- leads to varying religious practices, legal codes & social organization
Background
By 1100 CE The Seljuk Turks control much of the old Abbasid Empire
By 1294 IL-KHAN (part of the Mongol Empire) has
captured much of the Seljuk Turk Empire along with Persia
As the Mongol Empires Rapidly Decline, new Muslim Empires will Fill the Vacuum.
They are the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal (Gunpowder Empires)
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Ottomans
Turkic peoples enter Anatolia after Mongols
Ottomans secure dominance14th & 15th centuries move into Balkans
1453 capture Constantinople- end Byzantine Empirenavy dominates Mediterranean
rule much of Middle East, Nth Africa & SE Europe
threat to Western Europe
military leaders had dominant roleOttomans geared to war & expansion
Turkic horsemen are warrior aristocracy- power shrinks as central bureaucracy grows- build up regional power bases
mid 1400s army dominated by Janissary infantry divisions
controlled artillery & firearms- intervened in dynastic succession disputes
Sultans
“played off” competing factions- religious & legal scholars- Muslim, Christian & Jewish merchants
Christians & Jews “people of the book”
empire grows – Sultans lose contact with people
vizier gains great power
problems with imperial succession – weakens empire
Constantinople - restoredcombines different cultures under Ottoman rule
Hagia Sophia becomes a grand mosque
Suleymaniye (Blue) mosque
commercial center for Asia, Africa & Europeurban = many artisans & guilds
- government regulates- guilds important
17th century – Turkish language
artistic legacy in poetry, ceramics, carpets & architecture
Ottoman Declinelate 17th century – empire too big to be maintained
begin to decline once acquisition of new territory ends- conquest state
bureaucracy corruptsoppressed peasants flee or rebelSultans & sons become weak & lazy rulerscivil strife increases, military decreases
Janissaries block military reform- lose ground to European rivals
1571 – navy loses at Battle of Lepanto, lose control of eastern Mediterranean
Portuguese naval victories break Muslim dominance in Indian trade
loss of commercial revenue made worse by inflation from input of New World bullion
major changes occurring in Europe not matched by Ottomans
conservatism of Janissaries & religious leaders block innovation
SAFAVID EMPIRE
Shi’ite challenge of the Safavids
Safavids profit from struggles of rivals after Mongol invasions
Safavids were Shi’ite Muslims from a family of Sufi mystics
early 1300s – fought to purify & spread Islam
Ismail followers conquer most of Persiafight Ottomans – lose at
Chaldiran in 1514Shi’ism blocked from westward advance
Politics & War under the Safavids
empire at top under Abbas I (1587-1629)
brought Turkic warriors under control- some of the leaders gain government posts and pose a threat to Shahs
Persians recruited into bureaucracy as a counterbalance
recruit slave youths into army & bureaucracy- become backbone of army- monopolize firearm use
State & Religion
Persian language takes hold- use Persian traditions of court etiquette
militant Shi’ite ideology modified by Persian religious scholars
religious teachers receive state supportteaching in mosque schools supervised by state
empire gradually converts to Shi’a Islam- becomes integral part of Iran
Abbas I wants empire to be major center of international trade & Islamic culture
internal transport improvedworkshops created (silk & carpets)
trade encouraged
building mosques in Isfahan
Demise of Safavid Empire
no heirs to Abbas I
internal strife & foreign invasions
1722 fall to Afghani invaders
Ottoman vs. Safavid
both dominated by warrior aristocrats who shared power with monarch
warriors gradually leave for estates where they ruled peasants
both encouraged growth of crafts & trade
Safavids less market-oriented than Ottomans
women socially disadvantaged in both-sub-ordinate to fathers & husbands-basically homebound
MUGHAL EMPIRE
Mughal EmpireBabur & Turks invade India 1526
- only wanted booty- remained when prevented from returning north
used military tactics similar to Ottomans
within 2 years held much of Indus & Ganges plain
Babur’s death in 1530 brought invasion, successor flees to Persia- re-invade & restore control by 1556
Akbar (Babur’s grandson)
defeats enemiesgreat military & administrative talentreconciles with Hindu subjects
- encourages intermarriage- abolishes head taxes- respects Hindu religious customs
invents a faith incorporating Islam & Hinduism to unify subjects
Hindu & Muslim warrior aristocracy granted land & labor for loyalty
attempts to introduce social changes to benefit
regulate consumption of alcohol
improve position of women
prohibited sati encouraged widow remarriagediscouraged child marriages
most reforms not successful
powerful empire in 1600syet most of population live in poverty
cotton textiles world famous
Shah Jahan – Taj Mahal- blend Persian & Hindu traditions
fall behind Europe in invention & sciences
17th century rulers continued policy of tolerance towards Hindus
these rulers left daily administration alone – wives win influence
life of court women improves
position of women in the rest of society declines
lack of opportunity, burden of dowry
- birth of a girl an inauspicious event
Mumtaz Mahal
imperial decline
early 1700s – Aurangzeb- wants to control all of India- rid Islam of Hindu influence
warfare drains treasuryruler spends too much time on warinternal revoltreligious policies increase internal weaknesses
Hindus kept from highest government posts-head tax restored
state revenues & power passes to regional lords- previous pattern in South Asia
What were the similarities & differences between the three Muslim empires?
OTTOMAN-Anatolia Peninsula, Europe & Nth Africa-religious fervor & zeal for Islamic conversion-mostly Muslim, large Christian minority-Sunni Muslim
SAFAVID-Persia (Iran)-religious fervor & zeal for Islamic conversion-mostly Muslim-Shi’ia Muslim
MUGHAL-Northern India-rule pre-dominantly non-Muslim population
SIMILARITIES- origins in in Turkic nomadic raiders of Central Asia based on military conquest- oriented to support armies & military classes using firearms- effective use of firearms and siege warfare- ruled by a disputed succession of absolute monarchs-court rituals patterned after those of earlier Islamic dynasties-Taxed conquered peoples heavily
DIFFERENCES-Sunni (Ottoman and Mughal) v. Shi’ia (Safavid) enmity meant warring over territory & -persecuting adherents of rival brand of Islam- leads to varying religious practices, legal codes & social organization
What were the causes of Ottoman decline in the 17th century?
• long decline• reached limits of expansive power early on• too large to be maintained• new conquest possibilities run out – lands begin to be lost to
Ottoman Christian & Muslim enemies• decline of effectiveness of administrative system• corruption of officials• oppressive demands of local officials & land owners leads to
rebellions• succession not thought out well• weak rulers, addicted to pleasures• viziers gain too much power• imperial apparatus geared to strong, military leaders,
decline in sultans hurts whole empire
What were the similarities & differences in the decline of the Abbasid & Ottoman empires?
• succession problems
• imperial extravagance
• declining position of women
• too much construction
• peasants over taxed
• long decline
Compare & contrast the social & economic organization of the Ottomans & Safavids.
• dominated by warrior aristocracy• warrior elite become land-owners with
peasants under them• real power of rulers decreases• demands of landlord class on peasants grows• invasion, rebellions, banditry, peasant flight
from land• handicraft production & trade encouraged• public works projects• women disadvantaged• difference: Ottoman had better trade contacts
& were farther ahead in technology
Discuss the reasons for the failure of the Mughal Dynasty
• after Akbar needed reforms ignored• bureaucracy bloated & corrupt• army behind in weaponry & tactics• too many building projects – peasants standard of
living dropping• Aurangzeb wants to expand empire & convert Hindus• less tolerance• imperial system becomes overextended• internal rebellions• no temples allowed to be built• head tax re-instated• rulers extravagant & pleasure seeking
What weaknesses were common to all of the Muslim empires?
• succession problems • imperial central power weakens• power of regional aristocracy grows• failure to adapt Western military & scientific
advances• rulers better at conquests than administration• rulers too interested in pleasure seeking• too much building• peasants not taken care of
Discuss the similarities in the causes for decline in all of the Islamic early modern empires & explain how the
decline was related to the rise of the West.
• social organization dependent on warrior nobility – granted control over villages & peasants
• imperial central power weakens – power of regional aristocracy grows
• failure of all empires to take the west seriously as an international challenger meant a failure to adopt Western military technology & scientific advances
• all empires vulnerable to Western advances – especially Ottomans (shared land borders)
• all suffered from growing Western dominance of the seas
• by 18th century all reduced to economic dependency• loss of revenue from commerce & impact of Western
bullion contributed to Islamic decline
Discuss the similarities in problems confronting both the early modern Muslim empires & the
earlier Umayyad & Abbasid empires.• SIMILARITIES• all failed to establish firm succession process• dominance by warrior aristocracy made things difficult• problems with religious minorities (Mughal/Hindu)• DIFFERENCES• Umayyads & Abbasids commercial supremacy
unchallenged by west• West didn’t present an intellectual challenge to earlier
empires• later rise of West revised relations with Islamic world• loss of commercial leadership, West breaks Muslim
monopoly with Africa & WE Asia• Western technology threatens Muslim independence