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The Safavid and Mughal Empires

Explore the rise and decline of the Safavid and Mughal Empires, from their establishment to their eventual downfall.

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The Safavid and Mughal Empires

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  1. The Safavid and Mughal Empires

  2. Originally the Safavids were members of an Islamic religious brotherhood, named after their founder Safi al-Din (died 1334) Claimed to be descendents of Muhammad 15th century aligned themselves with the Shi’a branch of Islam Squeezed geographically and persecuted by Ottoman Sunni Muslims- they built a powerful army The Safavids build a Shi’a Empire

  3. Ismail • Seized area where Iran is now • Took ancient title of Shah, or king • Established Shi’a Islam as the state religion • Became a religious tyrant • Battled with Ottomans (Selim the Grim)- Battle of Chaldiran in 1514

  4. Shah Abbas (Abbas the Great) • 1587 takes throne • Golden Age of Safavids- culture drew from Ottoman, Persian, and Arab worlds • Reformed military and civilian life • Punished corruption • Limited the power of the military redheads • Created two new armies that would be loyal to him

  5. Established relations with Europe • Brought Chinese artisans - gorgeous artwork • Isfahan- capital city • Demand from the west for Persian carpets

  6. Abbas kills and blinds ablest sons so he was succeeded by his incompetent grandson, Safi By 1722 tribal armies from Afghanistan were taking over 1736- Nadir Shah Afshar took command and gained back some land but he was ruthless and one of his own troops killed him in 1747 The Dynasty Declines

  7. Legacies of the Safavids • Art from Persia mixed with Shi’a Islam • Government modeled on the Ottoman example • Slave army like the Janissaries • Welcomed foreigners= cultural blending • Established the cultural foundation for modern Iran

  8. Mughals = Mongols invade India Backdrop of crumbled Gupta Empire by 600 CE and subsequent invaders Ongoing Conflicts 8th century began with long clash between Hindus and Muslims Hindus held off Muslims until 1000 CE, when Turkish armies led by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni devastated India Delhi became the capital of a loose empire of Turkish warlords called the Delhi Sultanate Between 13th and 16th centuries, 33 sultans ruled this divided country 1398 Timur the Lame destroyed Delhi completely Early History of the Mughal Empire

  9. Babur Founds an Empire • 1494 an 11-year old boy named Babur inherited a tiny kingdom in Central Asia • Built up an army and swept down into India laying the groundwork for the empire • Brilliant general, sensitive, loved poetry

  10. The Golden Age of Akbar • Ruled India with wisdom and tolerance from 1556 to 1605 • Muslim, who defended religious freedom • Genius at cultural blending • Governed through a bureaucracy of officials • Fair tax policy • Good military conqueror • Smart tactician- turned enemies into allies by appointing rajputs as officers in the army • Unified a land of at least 100 million people • Culture flowered • Language blended (example Urdu) • Literature and architecture flourished • Died in 1605 and son becomes ruler

  11. Jahangir and NurJahan • Jahangir (Akbar’s son) is a weak ruler and his wife, Nur Jahan, was in charge of the state and she ruled from 1611-1622 • She and her husband tried to promote only Islam in the empire • Family conflict • She didn’t care for Jahangir’s son Khusrau and ousted him and shifted her favor on another son • Khusrau rebelled against his father and sought protection from the Sikhs- this led to the Sikhs being a target of the Mughal empire

  12. Shah Jahan • Good man but could not stand competition so he killed his rivals • He loved his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, but when she died in 1631 (from childbirth), he was devastated and spent 22 years building her tomb, which is the famous Taj Mahal • He built other beautiful things but couldn’t manage the empire • 1657 he became ill and sons scramble for throne (Aurangzeb wins, executes his older brother and puts his father in prison)

  13. Ruled from 1658-1707 Master at military strategy – aggressive empire builder Despite his territorial gain, the power of the empire weakened because he oppressed his people Rigidly enforced Islamic laws, outlawed drinking, gambling Brought back tax on non-Muslims Raised taxes to pay for military conquests Aurangzeb

  14. Aurangzeb drained the empire of resources Power of local lords grew while central power weakened 3 emperors reigned in 12 years after his death Patchwork of independent states Western traders building power in the meantime (Portuguese, Dutch, English, etc.) and gained foothold’s in the empire since the emperors did not perceive them as a serious threat Decline and Decay

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