Gunpowder Empires and Contemporary East Asian Dynasties Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards defining key historical figures, empires, positions, and regions from the Gunpowder Empires study guide.

Gunpowder Empires

The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires, grouped together for their shared reliance on firearms like cannons and muskets to break through fortified cities and maintain control over vast territories.

Mehmed II

Ottoman leader who captured Constantinople in 1453, effectively ending the Byzantine Empire.

Sultan Selim I

Ottoman sultan who conquered Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Arabia in 1517 and declared himself Caliph.

Süleyman I

Ottoman sultan who defeated Hungary after winning the Battle of Mohács in 1526.

Grand Vizier

The chief adviser to the Ottoman sultan who led the imperial council.

Janissaries

Elite soldiers in the Ottoman Empire who were originally archers and later became skilled with firearms.

Topkapi Palace

The complex in the Ottoman Empire that served as both the administrative centre and the sultan's residence.

Safavid Empire

A great Shia Muslim power centred on Persia (modern Iran) from c.1501 to 1629 that served as the primary Ottoman rival.

Shāh Esmā'īl

Founder of the Safavid dynasty who converted Anatolia and the region to Shia Islam.

Shāh 'Abbās

Safavid ruler who brought the empire to its height between 1588 and 1629.

Mughal Empire

Empire founded in South Asia from 1526 by a descendant of Timur Lenk.

Bābur

Founder of the Mughal Empire who began the conquest of northern India in 1526.

Akbar

Mughal ruler known for his religious tolerance toward Hindus.

Ming China

A long-ruling Chinese dynasty that was weakened from within by corruption, crop failures, and epidemics.

Tokugawa Japan

Japanese period known as "The Great Peace," characterized by a long era of internal stability following civil war.