Hist 101 World Civilization II

1. Hist 101World Civilization II Early Modern Muslim Empires

2. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresIntroduction • This lecture will examine the three great empires whose heyday lasted from approximately 1450 to 1800 • Ottoman Empire (centered in modern Turkey) • Safavid Empire (centered in modern Iran) • Mughal Empire (centered in modern India) • What these empires had in common was the rulers’ adherence to the Muslim faith • Islam had burst into the Middle East from Arabia through conquest in the 7th and 8th centuries • Islam had spread into India in the 13th century, although it had been in the Indus Valley (modern Pakistan) for centuries before that

3. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresOttoman Empire (1) • The Ottoman Empire emerged out of the remnants of the Seljuk Turks, and came to prominence in the 14th century • Being on the eastern edge of the tottering Byzantine Empire, that was the logical direction of conquest for the Ottomans • They conquered Constantinople in 1453, extinguishing the last remnant of the Roman Empire • The Ottomans moved their capital there and renamed the city Istanbul • They proved tolerant of Christians and Jews, as long as they paid the jitza (the tax on non-Muslims) • After extinguishing Byzantium, the Ottomans conquered the Balkans and would threaten the rest of Eastern Europe for centuries thereafter Hagia Sophia Instanbul, Turkey

4. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresOttoman Empire (2) • The Ottomans would unsuccessfully besiege Vienna in 1529 and 1683 • They were more successful extend-ing their rule into Muslim lands, conquering Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa • Janissaries • The Ottomans famously built their armies from Christians taken from their parents while still small, raised as Muslims, and trained as soldiers • Decline • Yet over time, the Ottoman Empire rotted from within, with the sultan’s sons perpetually fighting each other and far flung provinces establishing de facto independence, with the final collapse at the end of World War I Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) Ottoman Janissary

5. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresSafavid Empire (1) • This empire emerged in the 16th century in the area of the Islamic world that had fallen to the Mongols in the 13th century (the Persian Khanate) • The Mongols had been particularly cruel in this region, butchering 90 percent of the population • Although taking natives into their government, Mongol rule was never accepted by the survivors, especially the Persians • Shia Islam became intimately associated with the resistance movement to Mongol rule • Under the leadership of Ismail, the Persians threw off Mongol Rule • Ismail declared himself “Shah,” claiming to be a descendant of Ali, in keeping with Shiite doctrine Shah Ismail (1502-1524)

6. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresSafavid Empire (2) • Shah Abbas • The height of the Safavid Empire came under Shah Abbas • He famously encouraged carpet weaving, which helped turn this cottage industry into a major source of export earnings and establishing the reputation of “Persian” carpets for extremely high quality • Yet he also did not trust his own nobility, building his army from Armenian and Georgian recruits • He also feuded with the Ottomans, who he saw as illegitimate because they were Sunnis • The successors of Abbas were not as competent, and by the 18th century the Safavid lands had fallen to the Ottomans, Mughals, and Russians Shah Abbas (1587-1629) A “Persian” carpet

7. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresMughal Empire (1) • While their empire was in India, the Mughals were not Indian • They were a Turkish people related to the Mongols • “Mughal” is a corruption of Mongol • Indeed, rather than capturing India from the Indians, they conquered its last alien Muslim rulers, another group of Turkish Moslems, known as the Delhi Sultanate • Akbar the Great • Arguably the greatest ruler in India since Ashoka (3rd century BCE) • He established “sulahkul” as the principal of his rule: universal tolerance • Eliminated the jitza • Brought numerous Hindus into his government Akbar the Great (1556-1605)

8. Early Modern Muslim EmpiresMughal Empire (2) • The Mughal emperors of India became justifiably famous for their support of architecture and the arts • Taj Mahal • Perhaps the most famous example of the Mughal’s commitment was the Taj Mahal, built by the Emperor Jahan as tomb for his favorite wife • It took over a decade to build, and is today considered to be one of the greatest romantic symbols • Decline • Seeds of Mughal destruction sown under the rule of Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb (1658-1707) , who tried to impose strict Islamic rule • Mughal power collapsed later in the 18th century, leaving India disunited until it was colonized by the British, beginning later in that century Taj Mahal Agra, India