Unit 3: Land-Based Empires Flashcards

Flashcards relating to Empires and Belief Systems

Janissaries

Elite fighting force formed by the Ottomans through the enslavement of Christians from the Balkans, their conversion to Islam, and rigorous training.

Devshirme System

System used by the Ottomans to staff their bureaucracy, involving the enslavement and conversion of Christian boys from the Balkans, followed by education and training in Istanbul.

Legitimizing power

Refers to the methods rulers use to establish their authority.

Consolidating power

The method rulers use to transfer power from other groups to themselves.

Bureaucracies

Thousands of government officials who ensure laws are kept throughout the empire.

Divine Right of Kings

The idea that kings were God’s representatives on Earth.

Zamindar System

Elite landowners in the Mughal Empire who were authorized to tax peasants on their land on behalf of the imperial government.

Simony

Selling of Church offices, a practice that contributed to the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church.

Indulgences

Paying money for the forgiveness of sins, a practice that was criticized by Martin Luther in his 95 Theses.

Sikhism

A syncretic blend of Hindu and Islamic doctrines that developed in South Asia, emphasizing belief in a single God, reincarnation, and radical equality by rejecting gender hierarchies and the caste system.