The Gunpowder Empires
(1400-1800)
Nomadic Invasions by Mongols led to
changes in the Muslim world
•Mughals
•Ottomans
• Safavids
CONTEXT:
How can we characterize this period
in world history?
• Bridge between ancient & early modern
history
• Islamic power shift from Arab Muslims to
ethnically Turkic Muslims
• Use of gunpowder & other new technologies
for conquest (“gunpowder empires”)
• Cultural, artistic, & architectural
developments still impact regions conquered
Your Task:
•
•
•
•
We will be learning about the 3
“gunpowder empires”
You will work to create a Google
slideshow that serves as an overview of
each empire
After viewing each group’s slideshow, fill
in the Venn diagram & the timeline for
homework
It must be complete by the time we finish
studying all 3 empires
TIPS FOR VENN DIAGRAM
• Use the GREATS as a guide
• Try to answer the following questions as
well (can overlap with GREATS):
–
–
–
–
–
How did they conquer?
How did they treat different religions?
What were their major accomplishments?
Why did they decline?
Why are they important today?
Ottoman Empire at Greatest Extent c. 1699
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
(1281-1922)
• Longest lasting & most
successful
• 1281: founded by Osman
(ghazi)
• Later rulers:
– Muslims required to do
military service
– Non-Muslims paid jizya
– Conquered peoples
generally treated well
CONQUEST OF
CONSTANTINOPLE
• Mehmet II conquers Constantinople in 1453
• Cannons
• Hagia Sofia
Golden Age of Suleiman
1520-1566
Expansion
– Military leadership
– Naval power
– Conquest of Europe
(stopped @ Vienna)
Cultural Achievements
– Sharia, religious
Social organization
tolerance
– Large bureaucracy – Efficient
– Janissaries
taxation/bureaucracy
– Mosque of Suleiman
– Devshirme
– Blending of Turkish
– Millets
artistic styles with
those of conquered
peoples
Decline
• Incapable leaders fearful of losing power
• Oppressive policies & taxation peasant
discontent and rebellion
• Economic decline - illegal trade, inflation
• Naval power defeated in Spain and Italy
(Battle of Lepanto - 1571)
• Dissolved with the creation of the nation
of Turkey in 1923, after World War I
SAFAVID EMPIRE
(1501-1722)
•
•
•
•
Saf al-Din (founder)
Iranian origin
Shiite Islam
Persecuted on
religious grounds by
Ottoman Sunni
Muslims
• Powerful army to
protect themselves on
both sides
Leadership
• Ismai’il – strong warrior, 1499
• Shiite Islam as state religion in
Iran - no religious freedom
• Ottomans and Safavids disagree
on religious tolerance
– Ismai’il destroys Baghdad and kills Sunnis
– Sunnis kill Shiites in Ottoman Empire
• Battle/conquest Golden Age
Golden Age of Shah Abbas: 1587
• Cultural blending w/Ottoman,
Persian & Arab worlds
• Isfahan
• Relations w/Europe & China
• Persian carpets
• Military reforms (Persian &
Christian armies created)
• Modern weaponry
• Punished corruption,
emphasized loyalty
ISFAHAN
Decline
•
•
•
•
•
•
Need for power
Incompetent leaders
Peasant discontent
Tribal armies from Afghanistan taking over area
Sunni family took control, but was unsuccessful
Safavids died politically, but never culturally - left
behind a strong Persian cultural legacy
MUGHAL EMPIRE
(1526-1707)
• Mughals = “Mongols”
• Muslims in India since
700s
• Delhi Sultanate
• 1398: Tamerlane
invades
• Ethnic & religious
conflic follows
• 1526: Babur founds
empire
Golden Age of Akbar: 1556-1605
Cultural developments
•Urdu created
•“Miniatures”
•Akbar period architecture
•Literary achievements
Religious tolerance
•Bureaucracy
included diverse
officers
•Akbar’s wives
Fair taxation
•Abolished jizya
•Graduated income tax
Conquest of India
•Gunpowder
•Rajput officers
MUGHAL EXPANSION
After Akbar
• 1611-1622: Jahangir & Nur
Jahan
– Less religious tolerance
– Mughals v. Sikhs
• 1628-1658: Shah Jahan
– Hated political competition
– Taj Mahal
• 1658-1707: Aurangzeb
– Military leader and empire
builder
– Oppressive
– Enforced Islamic laws
– Outraged Hindus
Decline
•
•
•
•
•
Rajputs rebel!
Wars for conquest cost $$taxes
Famine
No loyalty to leader
Weakened central state, power of local lords
grew
• Ended in a patchwork of independent states
• Trade with Europeans - India’s next conquerors
CONNECTIONS &
PREDICTIONS
1. What similarities do you notice so far
between the three “gunpowder empires?”
2. What seems to be the most important
effects of the conquests by the
“gunpowder empires?”