World History Gunpowder Empires Autopsy

Ottoman Location

Middle East

Ottoman Political

-Made up of Turks
-Most successful ruler was Suleiman the Magnificent
-Sultan: absolute power
-Devshirme: merit-based system of young slave christian boys
-Janissaries: highly trained and effective in maintaining order
-Jizya taxed placed on religious minorities
-Millet system allowed non-Muslim religions to maintain culture

Ottoman Social

-Religious division and religious gender issues
-millet system for non-Muslims
-Woman in the sultans harem had huge influence
-Concubine: a publicly recognized mistress of an upper class member of society
-Large number of slaves imported from East Africa
-Veiling of woman

Ottoman Economic

-Agriculturally based
-Economy fueled by expansion
-Tribute: taxation system that required conquered areas of an empire to pay taxes in goods/money to the capital
-Economic trouble arose when expansion slowed
-Made no attempt to establish trade abroad
-Europeans traded to them: coffee, lapis lazuli, and exotic foods (dates and citrus)

Ottoman Cultural

-Led by Turkish immigrants who adopted Islam
-Sunni Muslim
-Allowed other religions to practice but had to pay jizya
-Millet system
-Islamic Sufi order the Whirling Dervishes (derived from the mystic orders of Islam)

Safavid Location

Persia/ Iran

Safavid Politcial

-created by Shah Ismael
-Shah: absolute leader
-Shi'a Islam
-Isfahan: capital of political and religious authority
-Significant conflict between Ottoman Empire

Safavid Social

-Social Structure from top to bottom: Shah, bureaucrats, merchants and landowners, peasants and slaves
-Patriarchy

Safavid Economic

-Agriculturally based
-Extensive overland trade
-Cost of fighting with Ottoman hurt their empire significantly

Safavid Cultural

-Shi'a Islam
-Millet System

Mughal Location

South Asia/ India

Mughal Politcal

-Founded by Babur in the 16th century
-Most of expansion done by Akbar the Great
-Emperor: absolute authority
-Capital: Fatehpur Sikri; architecture blended Islamic and Hindu architectural styles
-Religious tolerance (in order to maintain peace)

Mughal Social

-Traditional Indian Caste system
-Birth played a dominant role
-Zamindars: a nobility class in India that functioned as officials/bureaucrats in the Mughal Empire
-Hindu and Muslim patriarchy

Mughal Economic

-Agriculturally based
-wealthy on its own, not dependent upon trade
-Made huge profits from the sale of spices and cotton (much of this cotton/spices were paid for in New World Silver by the Portuguese and Spanish)

Mughal Cultural

-India dominated by Hinduism (caste system)
-Government dominated by Islam
-Religious tolerance in order to decrease tensions
-"Divine Faith" blend of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism
-Taj Mahal: icon of Hindu/ Muslim syncretism
-Sikhism: syncretic blend between Hindu and Islam
- Religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims increased which harmed empire for centuries

Ming/ Qing China Location

East Asia

Ming/ Qing China Political

-Built the Forbidden City
-Civil Service Exam
-Mandate of Heaven
-Reinforced Confucianism
-Most indigenous Chinese were 2nd class citizens to the Manchu rulers

Ming/ Qing China Social

-Confucian social order
-Emperor was the highest in society
-Civil Service Exam
-Peasants were valued in the confucian social order
-Merchants were looked down upon
-Foot-binding and patriarchy

Ming/ Qing China Economic

-Agriculturally based
-Introduction of American food crops (maize, potatoes, peanuts) and Chinese staples (wheat, rice, millet) pushed surpluses
-Produced expensive manufactured goods (silk, porcelain, lacquerware, tea)
-Never developed large trading companies due to views of Merchants

Ming/ Qing China Cultural

-Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daosim
-"Journey to the West" glorified Xuangzang's journeys
-Spanish Catholic missionaries began coming to China in search of converts (matteo Ricci)