Muslim Empires

1. Muslim Empires The Gunpowder Empires 1450-1750

3. Three Dynasties • Why had Muslim unity dissolved? • Mongol invasion of the 13th and 14th century • New dynastic empires: • Ottomans – peaked in the 17th century’ • Safavids – Persia and Afghanistan • Mughals (Mogul) - India

4. The Ottoman Empire

5. The Fall of Constantinople, 1453

6. Mehmed II’s Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

7. Ottoman Dominance • Turkic people who took over after the Mongols defeated the Seljuks • 1453 captured Constantinople – Sultan Mehmed II • Extended to include Middle East (Selim I) • North Africa, southeastern Europe (Suleiman) • Invaded Vienna in the 16th and 17th century / also conflicts with Venice • Vast navy superiority in Mediterranean

8. Ottomans: military • Early warrior aristocracy = Turkic Horseman (eg: feudal nobility/askeri) • Warrior class built up power by seizing land • conscripted youth from conquered lands - janissaries • janissaries expanded under Sultan Selim I • Greatest expansion/height under Sultan Suleiman “the Lawmaker”

9. Devshirme -Recruitment of the Children

10. Sultans and Court • Absolute Monarchs who focused on maintaining justice (adala) • Large bureaucracies were formed that involved every ruler and son • There were vague principles of imperial succession which led to strife • new sultan would often execute brothers – later imprisonment

11. Ottoman Government • Sultan – Absolute Power – Caliph – Islamic Orthodoxy • ’adala - justice • Kanuna – body of law; Shari’a + • Diwan – “couch”; Close advisory council to Sultan; vizier- chief minister • Ulama Courts – Religious Courts • Firman: Public declarations of laws and taxes

12. Important Sultans • Mehmed II – conq. Constantinople • Selim I – conq. Syria & Egypt • Suleiman Kanuni/ the Magnificient – huge gain in Europe • <Selim II / the drunkard> • Kara Mustafa – attempted conquest of Austria again ---lost

13. Flowering Culture • Constantinople became the capital of empire as Istanbul • Hagia Sophia turned into a mosque – model for other Turkish mosques • Artisan classes were very important • Turkish language legacy by the late 17th century • Artistic legacy in poetry, ceramics, carpet, and architecture

14. Ottoman Weaknesses • Too extensive; but slow…..decline • New territory became less available which slowed growth • Corrupt bureaucracy and regional officials used money for personal gain • Oppressed peasants led revolts and/or left land • Civil strife increased and military efficiency deteriorated • Conflicts with Venice/ Portuguese/Spain

15. Ottoman Decline • Spanish-Venetian naval victory in 1571 • Muslims lost control of eastern Africa to Portuguese • Commercial decline was aggravated by inflation caused by New World bullion led to commercial decline • Religious leaders blocked western inspired innovation • Weaker, lazier less attentive Sultans

16. 1663 – invasion of Vienna – eventually thwarted • --Parthenon blown up by the Venetians • 1699 – Peace of Karlowitz – Austria took Hungary & Transylvania • Wars with Russia continual

17. Ottoman & Safavid Empires, c. 1683

19. Safavids • Muslims in Azerbaijan region (probably Azeri) fought to purify and spread Islam to Turkic peoples – started out as a religious order • Warrior groups called: quizilbash

20. Safavid dynasty • 1501 – Ismailseized Tabriz and was proclaimed Shah • Was defeated at Chaldiran in 1514 by the Ottomans – THE GUNPOWDER AGE

21. State and Religion • Shah Ismail – instituted forced conversion to Shi’ite Islam • Shi’ite religious establishment in each city • Actively anti-Sunni • Shahs descent from imams • Tension between Shi’a ulama (esp. ayatollahs) and govt

22. Safavid Shah • Shah Abbas Iشاه عباس بزرگ (1587-1629) – • Empire reached its zenith • Persians counterbalanced the role of the Turkic warriors • Used capture youth to fill military and bureaucratic positions • Incorporated Persian court etiquette • Created infrastructure for trade and Islamic culture

23. Society and Gender in Ottoman and Safavid • Dominated by Warrior class/nobility (askeri / quizilbash) • Nobility controlled the peasantry • “slave” infantry & bureaucracy • Artisans worked in Imperial workshops • Safavid less market-oriented than Ottoman • Women did not enjoy many outlets especially among the elite

24. The Royal Academy of Isfahan

26. Decline of the Safavid • Weak succession after Abbas • Internal strife between Turkic and Persian ethnic groups • Foreign invasion from Afghani invaders

27. The Mughal Empire

28. Mughals • Turkic invaders led by Babur invaded India in 1526 – sought plunder not conquest • Stayed when prevented from going north • Babur’s forces defeated Hindu confederation in 1527 – He then ruled the Indus and Ganges plains

29. Babur

30. Mughal weakness • After Babur died in 1530 he left no central political infrastructure • Feudal structure • He also left no competent heir • Humayn fled to Persia – from Persia launched attacks into India • Humayn restored control of the North by 1556

31. Mughal’s Lasting Empire • Humayn’s son Akbar succeeded to the throne • Akbar was an outstanding military and administrative talent • Policy of reconciliation with Hindu subjects • Abolished head taxes • Respected Hindus and allowed them in the administration • Hindu Nobility stayed if taxes were collected and paid

32. Akbar’s Social Agenda • Encouraged intermarriage and Widow remarriage • Discouraged child marriage • Prohibited sati • Discouraged consumption of alcohol • Created special market days for women only

33. Akbar’s Legacy & European Contact • Social reforms failed in the immediate future (including child marriage and sati) • After his death no new territory was added • Most of the population lived in poverty • Developed major commercial and manufacturing Empire in Indian cotton textiles

34. Court Politics & Women • Nur Jahan – wife of Jahangir • “The Twentieth Wife” • Mumtaz Mahal – wife of Shah Jahan I • Ordinary women’s rights decline under Jahangir and Shah Jahan

35. Nur Jahan Mumtaz Mahal

36. Mughal Era Achievements • Taj Mahal – Shah Jahan • blends Persian and Hindu traditions

37. Mughal Decline • Aurangzebfought many wars in India to reclaim much of the land that had been lost – depleted the treasury • created resentment by beginning religious reform to rid Islam of Hindu influences – created internal weakness • By early in the 18th century power passed to regional lords away from imperial control – allows for European inroads…