Central and Southern Asian Empires: The Safavids & Mughals

Libertyville HS

Safavid Dynasty (1501-1722)

• One of the most significant periods in history of Iran

• At it’s height, the dynasty ruled modern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq & parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Caucasus region

• Most of history spent fighting Ottoman Empire

Origins• Persian region was politically

decentralized• Shia religion unified people• In 1501, Ismail, a local noble in

Northern Iran, began conquering neighbors

• Called himself “Shah”, or King, of Iran

• Clashes with Ottomans lasted into his son’s reign (against Suleiman) & beyond – Sunni vs. Shia– Control over Mesopotamia

Alliance and Expansion

• Around 1530, the Safavids allied with a new Muslim state in India, the Mughals

• Alliance secured the borders of each state, freeing Safavids to focus on Ottomans

• Peace between Ottomans, Safavids in 1533 let each empire focus on internal affairs First meeting between Safavids, Mughals

Shah Abbas (1587-1629)• Greatest Safavid ruler• Military reforms

– Adopted gunpowder weapons, cannon

– Adopted European military organization (taught by English)

• Moved capitol to center of Empire• Centralized empire’s government,

increasing own power in process• Expanded trade with English and

Dutch, in India• Sent diplomats to Europe to

organize fight vs. Ottomans

Safavid Embassy to Venice (1595)

Decline of Safavids• Rise of English and Dutch naval

power in India cut off Safavid trade with East Asia

• Ottomans continued their attacks in West

• Alliance between Mughal, Safavids broke down

• Weak rulers, disinterest in ruling & series of assassinations led to fall of dynasty in 1747

• BIG QUESTION: Why didn’t Safavids challenge Europe for dominance?

Shah entertaining foreigner dignitaries (1640)

Mughal Empire (1526-1857)

• Named to honor Mongols

• At height, empire covered almost entire Indian subcontinent– 110-150 million people– 1.2 million square miles

Founding: Babur (1483-1530)• Distant relative of Genghis

Khan, through mother• Also related to Tamerlane,

an earlier ruler of Chagatai Khanate

• Spent most of life fighting in Central Asia & India to carve out territories for self, family

Rise and Expansion of Mughals

• In 1526, Babur finally conquered Delhi, establishing Mughal Empire

• By 1627, Empire dominated Indian subcontinent

• Was arguably richest empire in world in 1600s and early 1700s

Mughal Society and Economy• Under greatest ruler, Akbar,

Mughal Empire was religiously open– No dhimmi tax– Included Indians in government

• Divided lands into raj (states) to make governing easier

• Economy based on cotton production and textiles

• Greatly expanded rice production fed large population

• Taj Mahal (1630) commissioned

Decline and Fall of Mughal Empire• After 1707, civil wars rocked

Empire• External invasions from Central

Asian states• Expanding power of British East

India Company • Mughals never adopted Western

style of warfare– Fought with elephants, traditional

spearmen and cavalry– No match for European style armies

• Why didn’t Mughal Empire challenge Europe for dominance?