Chapter 27

The Islamic Empires

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The Islamic Empires, 1500-1800

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The Ottoman Empire (1289-1923)

n  Osman leads bands of semi-nomadic Turks to become ghazi: Muslim religious warriors

n  Captures Anatolia with light cavalry and volunteer infantry q  Later, heavy cavalry

n  In Balkans, forced Christian families to surrender young boys to military service: devshirme q  Often grew up to be exceptionally loyal Janissaries

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Mehmed II (“the Conqueror,” r. 1451-1481)

Planned to capture pope, unsuccessful Capture of Constantinople, 1453 n  Renamed Istanbul n  Transformation from warrior sultan to emperor of “two lands” (Europe, Asia) and “two seas” (Black Sea, Mediterranean)

n  Planned to capture pope, unsuccessful

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(r. 1520-1566) (r. 1520-1566)

Expanded into Asia, Europe Expanded into Asia, Europe n 

Besieged Vienna, 1529 n 

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The Safavid Empire

Orphaned, parents killed by enemies n  Orphaned, parents killed by enemies n  Becomes shah, proclaims official religion of

realm Twelver Shiism q  Twelve infallible imams after Muhammad q  Twelfth imam in hiding, ready to take power q  Wore distinctive red hat, called qizilbash (“red heads”)

n  Empire called Safavid after Safi al-Din (1252-1334), Sufi thinker

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Shiite Pilgrims at Karbala

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Battle of Chaldiran (1514)

n n  Ottomans attack Safavids n n  Heavy use of Ottoman gunpowder technology

Heavy use of Ottoman gunpowder technology

q 

q 

Reforms administration, military q 

Expands trade q 

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The Mughal Empire

Founds Mughal (Persian for Mongol) dynasty n n  Expands through most of Indian subcontinent Expands through most of Indian subcontinent

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Akbar (r. 1556-1605)

n 

Created centralized government n 

Destroyed Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar n  Religiously tolerant, promoted “divine faith”

q  Syncretic form of Islam and Hinduism Created centralized government n  Destroyed Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar n  Religiously tolerant, promoted “divine faith”

q  Syncretic form of Islam and Hinduism

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Aurangzeb (r. 1659-1707)

n  Expands Mughal empire into southern India Expands Mughal empire into southern India n  Hostile to Hinduism

q q  Demolished Hindu temples, replaced with mosques q  Tax on Hindus to encourage conversion Tax on Hindus to encourage conversion

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Safavid, and Mughal Empires Safavid, and Mughal Empires n  Empires based on military conquest (“gunpowder

empires”) n  Prestige of dynasty dependent on piety and

military prowess of the ruler q  Close relations with Sufism, ghazi tradition

n  Steppe Turkish traditions q  Issuance of unilateral decrees q  Intra-family conflicts over power

n fifteen expectant women (strangulation with silk) 1595 Sultan massacres nineteen brothers (some infants),

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Women and Politics

q 

Originally Roxelana, Ukrainian woman q  But tradition of revering mothers, first wives from Convinces husband to murder eldest son in favor of her Chinggis Khan

own child n  Süleyman the Magnificent defers to concubine

Hürrem Sultana q  Originally Roxelana, Ukrainian woman q  Convinces husband to murder eldest son in favor of her

own child

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Agriculture and Trade

Muslim empires q q 

Coffee, tobacco important q 

Initial opposition from conservative circles, fearing lax morality of coffee houses n 

Population growth also reflects territorial additions and losses n  Trade with English East India Company, French

East India Company, and Dutch VOC Trade with English East India Company, French

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Population Growth

020406080100120140160180200

1500 1600 1700 1800

MughalSafavidOttoman

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Religious Diversity

n n  Ottoman empire: Christians, Jews n  Safavid empire: Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians n n  Mughal empire: Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians,

Mughal empire: Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians, Christians, Sikhs n 

Christians, Sikhs

q  Received Jesuits politely, but resented Christian

Mughal Akbar most tolerant exclusivity q q  Enthusiastic about syncretic Sikhism, self-serving “divine faith” Received Jesuits politely, but resented Christian

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Status of Religious Minorities

q  Payment of special tax: jizya Payment of special tax: jizya

q  Freedom of worship, property, legal affairs q 

Ottoman communities: millet system of self-n administration

n  Ottoman communities: millet system of self-Mughal rule: Muslims supreme, but work in tandem with Hindus administration q n  Under Akbar, jizya abolished q 

Mughal rule: Muslims supreme, but work in

Reaction under Aurangzeb

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Capital Cities

n  Istanbul cultural capital of Ottoman empire, massive monumental architecture

n  Rededication of Hagia Sofia church as Aya Sofya mosque

n  Isfahan major Persian city n  Akbar builds magnificent Fatehpur Sikri

q  Chooses site without sufficient water supply, abandoned

q  Taj Mahal example of Mughal architecture Taj Mahal example of Mughal architecture

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Deterioration of Imperial Leadership

q 

Selim the Sot (r. 1566-1574), Ibrahim the Crazy (r.1640-1648) n (r.1640-1648)

n 

Attempts to isolate them compounds the problem

Religious tensions between conservatives and liberals intensify

q 

Role of women

Wahhabi movement in Arabia denounces Ottomans Wahhabi movement in Arabia denounces Ottomans as unfit to rule

q as unfit to rule Force destruction of observatory, printing press n q  Safavid Shiites persecute Sunnis, non-Muslims, and

even Sufis Force destruction of observatory, printing press ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 19

Economic and Military Decline

Foreign trade controlled by Europeans n  Military, administrative network expensive to

maintain q  Janissaries mutiny when paid with debased coinage,

1589; other revolts follow n  Unproductive wars n  European military technology advances faster European military technology advances faster

than Ottomans can purchase it than Ottomans can purchase it

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Cultural Conservatism

n  Europeans actively studying Islamic cultures for Europeans actively studying Islamic cultures for purposes of trade, missionary activities

purposes of trade, missionary activities n 

Islamic empires less interested in outside world n 

Swiftly fell behind in technological development q 

E.g. Jews from Spain establish first printing press in Anatolia in late fifteenth century q  But printing of books in Turkish and Arabic forbidden

until 1729 But printing of books in Turkish and Arabic forbidden

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