Islamic Gunpowder Empires: Questions. Answer in complete sentences, unless it’s a fill-in-the-blank or illustration.
1. Name the three empires & give their location (using modern countries for the location names). Ex:
Holy Roman Empire (Germany, Eastern France)
2. Which is the largest of the three empires?
3. Who was the greatest (proximity-wise) threat to Europe? Which river provided a link between
Christian Europe and this Muslim empire?
4. Using your textbook, please explain the term devshirme in 6 words. NO MORE, NO LESS.
5. The Ottoman Empire was established by __________________________________ in __________ after he
________________________________________.
6. What did the Ottomans have in common with, say, the Russians, Spanish, French, and even
Portuguese from 1450-1750? (Hint: slide 5)
7. Please illustrate a social pyramid for the four social groupings in the urban Ottoman Empire,
include a brief description of each class:
8. Could you become an askeri if you were born a raya? YES/NO. HOWEVER: (please explain the
change).
9. Please explain the Timar system. Then, please explain why it was more similar to Japanese, rather
than European, feudalism during the Post-Classical era.
10. The Timar system helped the Ottoman military. How?
11. What was a ghulam?
12. What was a janissary?
13. Where did janissaries come from?
14. The Ottoman Empire was at its height from ___________________, during the rule of _____________________.
15. Name all of the territories he conquered:
16. What happened after his rule, however?
a. Finally, what happened to the Ottomans after WWI?
b. So, Ottoman decline can be said to be between the years: _________ and _________.
17. Describe millets in THREE SENTENCES. Use the terms TAXES, NON-MUSLIMS, SULTAN,
COMMUNITY in your description.
18. Why were Muslims not in millets in the Ottoman Empire?
19. Slide 11: Safavids: Founded by________________ in __________.
20. Shah Ismail believed that he was the __________, or “hidden,” imam of Shiism.
21. Use your textbook to look up the term Qizilbash & define it in 6 terms:
22. Using the description of Shah Abbas the Great as a guide, answer this question: What did the
Safavids have in common with the Ottomans, Mughals, & even the Ming Dynasty in terms of
commerce?
23. Name the three most important Mughal rulers, give their dates of reign & 2 important facts about
each.
a.
i.
ii.
b.
i.
ii.
c.
i.
ii.
24. Did the Mughals allow Europeans to establish forts in their territory? YES/NO
a. Which other non-European empires did this as well?
25. What five European powers had settlements in India (during Mughal rule) by 1700?
26. Where were these settlements located primarily?
a. Why would they be in these areas?
27. European empires at this time had moved from an agriculture-based economy to a trade based
economy. Describe the differences in Islamic Gunpowder Empire economies.
28. Let’s analyze cause and effect (or action, generation) in terms of Islamic Gunpowder Empire Econ.
CAUSE (ACTION)
EFFECT (GENERATION)
Agricultural economies in Islamic Empires, lower diversity of
crops
Europeans controlled maritime trading, working with Ottoman,
Safavid, & Mughal elites.
Islamic empires only offer specialty goods, crafts, and
manufactured few goods on a large scale.
29. Please write a NO MORE THAN 2 SENTENCE THESIS describing Islamic Gunpowder Empires and
their religious affairs. You should explain differences in each empire – do not use an overarching
term like ‘complex’ and not explain why!
30. Using slides 17, 18, and 19, please describe the following reasons for imperial decline of these
Islamic Empires in as many sentences it takes (minimum 2 sentences per item).
a. Political & Military
b. Economic (explain previous disadvantages that have been covered in questions above):
c. Social & Cultural