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CHAPTER 15- THE MUSLIM
EMPIRES
BASIC STORY IN 10 MINUTES
Awesome Intro Video!
Osmon (1258-1326)
Leader of Ottoman Turks
Osmon began to expand into the
Balkans (Slavic people)- conquering the
Serbs and Bulgaria
Led to the creation of the Ottoman
Empire
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Military strength through Janissaries- elite troops, allegiance to sultan
Use of new weapons, firearms, gunpowder- mastered the new
technology
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
1. Mehmet II –
Leader of Ottoman Empire who defeated the Byzantine Empire by
taking Constantinople
2. Sultan Selim I –
Continued Ottoman expansion eventually conquering some of the
holiest cities (Jerusalem, Medina, and Makkah)
He declares himself the new Caliph- (defender of the faith and the
successor to Muhammad)
Pashas- appointed officials to maintain law/ collect taxes in
conquered areas
MEHMED I
“ After the sultan entered the city and looked about to see its great
size , its situation, its grandeur and beauty, its teeming population, its
lovely building and of the private houses and community houses and
those of the officials.. When he saw the large number that had been
killed and the ruin of the buildings and the wholesale ruin and
destruction of the city he was filled with compassion and repented not
a little at the destruction and plundering Tears fell from his eyes as he
groaned deeply and passionately “What a city we have given over
to plunder and destruction. _ Kritovoulous History of Mehmedthe
conquerer.
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
3. Suleyman the Magnificentadvancement into Europe (Danube, Hungary, Austria), control of
western Mediterranean Sea
Advance met by alliance of Europeans, defeat (Vienna)
Slow decline of Ottoman power
OTTOMAN RULE
Sultan- supreme authority
Learned/adapted Byzantine and Persian customs
Problems with succession- sultan is passed down to son, not
necessarily the next oldest
Topkapi Palace- Istanbul, center of power- (like Versailles)
Harem-”sacred place”
Private domain of sultan-where him and his wives lived
Could have four wives
When son becomes sultan-mother named “queen mother”
and is an adviser to the throne
Not all about sex, political power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkzCjFDzX74 (2 min)
OTTOMAN RULE
Imperial council- vizier
Bureaucracy- based on merit
Similar to fief holdings, feudalism
Sunni Muslims- generally tolerant of others unless seen as a threat
Non- Muslims paid head tax, conversions
Ulema- religious advisers
 Administered legal systems and schools for educating Muslims
OTTOMAN RULE
Women- more freedoms than elsewhere, divorce,
property
Decline came after Suleyman- son Selim II
(“drunken sultan”)
Suleyman had his other two sons executed for
suspicion of treason
Internal dissention, corruption, constant war
decreased treasury
Influence of Western culture, materialism
OTTOMAN ART
Pottery, rugs, silk, arms, jewelry
Architecture most important
Open floor plan (Hagia Sophia), domes, minarets, windows
Decorations- mosaics, bright colors, geometric designs
Rugs, silks
BLUE MOSQUE- ISTANBUL
SAFAVIDS
COMBINE PERSIAN AND OTTOMAN (TURKSIH) CULTURE
After Tamerlane (Mongol) decline- chaos and anarchy
Safavids
Followed Shia form of Islam
Founded by Shah (king) Ismail- ancestor to Ali
Controlled Iraq, Iran, Baghdad
Conflict with Ottoman Turks Sultan Selim I- went after Ismail after he ordered the execution of Sunni Muslims
 Safavids eventually lose territory to Ottomans and move capital from Tabriz to
Esfahan
 Copied Janissaries, military from Ottomans
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wac0fyrfu_8 (Islam Ottoman rivalry)
Abbas the Great- strengthen, stabilize dynasty- was able to gain
back Azerbaijan which was earlier lost to Ottomans
SAFAVIDS
Internal problems- increase in power of Shi’ias and going back to
orthodoxy- or traditional religious beliefs
Effect: Women lost rights, “behind the veil”
Decline:
 Attacked by Afghan peoples
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
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
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=NBUM0AJJVGE (CRASH COURSE 12 MIN)
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
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
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
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
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