Chapter 15- The Muslim Empires
Ottoman Empire
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Turks- groups from central Asia, spread west
9th-11th centuries
Seljuk Turks took over Abbasid caliphate,
enemies of Byzantines
Ottoman Turks- Osman rewarded with land
after fighting Mongols, Anatolian Peninsula
Geographic advantage- Byzantines, Muslims
Expansion- Balkans, Slavs
Ottoman Empire
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Janissaries- elite troops, allegiance to sultan
Use of new weapons, firearms
Mehmet II – Constantinople 1453
Continued expansion- Safavids, Mamluks
(Meso and Egypt) North Africa
Emperor Selim claimed caliph
Locals allowed to govern, trade, piracy
Ottoman Empire
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Suleyman the Magnificent- advancement into
Europe (Danube, Hungary, Austria), control
of western Med Sea
Europeans could not ignore and treated
Turks like other countries- alliances, trade
New try to advance met by alliance of
Europeans, defeat (Vienna)
Slow decline of Ottoman power
Ottoman Rule
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Sultan- supreme authority
Learned/adapted Byzantine and Persian
customs
Problems with succession
Topkapi Palace- Istanbul, center of power
Harem- elite group, queen mother
Not all about sex, political power
Ottoman Rule
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Imperial council- vizier
Bureaucracy- merit
Similar to fief holdings, feudalism
Sunni Muslims- generally tolerant of others
unless seen as a threat
Non- Muslims paid head tax, conversions
Millet- religious group, responsible for
behavior, taxation, education, justice, welfare
Ottoman Rule
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Women- more freedoms than elsewhere,
divorce, property
Decline came after Suleyman- son Selim II
(“drunken sultan”)
Internal dissention, corruption, constant war
decreased treasury
Influence of Western culture, materialism
Ottoman Art
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Pottery, rugs, silk, arms, jewelry
Architecture most important
Open floor plan (Hagia Sophia), domes,
minarets, windows
Decorations- mosaics, bright colors,
geometric designs
Rugs, silks
Safavids
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After Tamerlane (Mongol) decline- chaos
Founded by Shah Ismail- ancestor to Ali
Controlled Iraq, Iran, Baghdad
Conflict with Ottoman Turks
Copied Janissaries, military from Ottomans
Abbas the Great- strengthen, stabilize
dynasty
Safavids
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Internal problems- increase in power of
Shi’ias, decrease in religious orthodoxy
Women lost rights, “behind the veil”
Others took advantage of weaknesses and
attacked, rulers fled
Brief restoration- battle with Mughals in India
Mixed population of people, used religion to
unify
Safavids
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Shah- political and religious leader, Shi’a
power
Used foreigners in gov’t to avoid competition
Directly involved in economy- check up on
locals, no direct contact with Europe, limited
trade
Capital- Isfahan, architecture, blue tiles
Silk, painting
Mughals
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Unification of subcontinent of India- under
Islamic foreigners
Influence of Europeans- decline
Founder was Babul (Mongol descendent)
Weapons, cavalry- northern India
Son chased out but aided by Safavids to
return to power
Akbar- peak of power, “gunpowder empire”
Mughals
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Akbar- took steps to reconcile different
religions, tolerance
Married to Hindu, learned of Christianity,
classical Indian ideas, hostility to Islam
Divine Faith- combination of religions with
control by emperor
Not embraced by many people, Hindus given
more power/jobs
Mughals
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Tolerance in legal system- Hindus not made
to pay head tax, follow own laws
Overall time of peace and prosperity
Strong father- weak son
Brief resurgance- Shah Jahan
Taj Mahal- built in memory of wife, expensive
Aurangzeb- controversial (ex. elimination of
sati)
Mughals
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Reversed religious tolerance, revolts
Portuguese monopoly of trade
England- remained present as Mughal power
declined, able to exert influence- Ft William
Dutch/French attracted to trade in area
Power of British East India company- conflict
with gov’t, major step in English dominance
Mughals
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Money made was sent back to England and
weakened local trade
British slowly took over and enforced own
rules and laws
Locals unable to mount significant challenge
to British
Real influence of Mughals on life of Indians is
hard to tell- women, Hindus
Mughals
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Time of synthesis- Islamic, Persian, native
Indian art and culture- architecture
Taj Mahal, Red Fort
Painting- now on paper
Imitation of European art
Printing not available until end of Mughals
Persian- poetry, language