UNIT 3: Land-Based Empires c. 1450 - 1750

Unit 3

• Land-based Empires

• c. 1450 - 1750

• expansion, administration, and belief systems

• utilization of GUNPOWDER

Land-based Empires

power comes from the extent of its territorial holdings

Ottoman Empire

• mostly located in Southwestern Europe

• Islamic culture - SUNNI MUSLIM

Factors of the Ottomans:

• adoption of gunpowder weapons allowed the empire to rapidly expand

  • Conquered Constantinople: renamed to ISTANBUL in 1453 (through the use of gunpowder)

  • allowed for more expansion past the Roman Empire into Eastern Europe

Christian Boys: JANNISSARIES

• policy of enslaving boys and converting them into Islamic faith

• trained to become a part of an elite army force

• Devshirme: trained bureaucracy who knew how to fight

• taxation - Tax Farming:

  • auctioned taxation rights to the highest bidder

Safavid Empire

• led by SHAH ISMAIL

• expanded rapidly through conquering and raiding neighboring territories

• Islamic culture - SHI’A MUSLIM

Military:

• SHAH ABBAS: adoption of gunpowder weapons to create an enslaved army

  • highly trained and became full-time soldiers

Ottomans VS. Safavids

Ottoman Empire: SUNNI MUSLIM

• Sunni Muslim: rightful successor of Muhammad could be anyone spiritually fit for office

Both:

• rapidly expanded through the use of gun powder

• Muslim/Islamic cultures

• elite military forces through enslaved individuals

Safavid Empire: SHI’A MUSLIM

• rightful successor of Muhammad could ONLY be blood relatives of him

Mughal Empire

• located in South and Central Asia

• rapidly expanded through gunpowder weapons

• Delhi Sultanate (majority Hindu) previously conquered by BABUR

• AKBAR came into power (BABUR’s grandson)

  • compromised Hinduism and Islamic faith

  • majority Muslims over minority Hindus

  • religious tolerance: DIVINE FAITH - bring people of different faiths together

• Taxation - Zamindar System:

  • local elites collected tax off of peasants on their land

Qing Dynasty / Manchu Empire

• The Manchus: a distinct ethnic group from Manchuria

  • established the Qing Dynasty after conquering the weakened Ming Dynasty (previously there)

• Manchu - Confucianist beliefs

  • all empires around were Han (outsider)

Emperor KANGXI:

• hung imperial portraits of himself around the city

  • he is surrounded by books - displaying that he is a legitimate Chinese Ruler (morality and education)

Safavid VS. Mughal: Conflict

• series of wars fought over territories

• while the Mughals were entertained in a different conflict to gain territory, the Safavids tried to take territory

• Safavids fail at taking the land

  • no clear victory in this conflict

Safavids: SHI’A MUSLIM

Mughals: SUNNI MUSLIM

Administering of Power: Land-based Empires

How did rulers legitimize and consolidate power?

• Legitimize: methods used to establish authority

• Consolidate: transfer power from other groups to themselves

• Large Bureaucracies: thousands of government officials that ensure laws are maintained

• Religious Ideas (Art, Monumental Architecture, etc.): allowed a display of wealth and power to other empires

• Tax Collection System: collecting revenue off of the people

Divine Right

monarchs received power from God on Earth

Christianity: Change & Continuity

• heart of the Roman Catholic Church was in Rome

the Church had immense power:

• people were exploiting the power of the church

• Simony: people buying their position of power in the church

• people were paying money to get rid of their sins

• popes grew rich without spiritually connecting to the religion

CHANGE: Protestant Reformation:

• Martin Luther: catholic monk that could read Latin

  • 95 Theses - targeted corruption and listed his critiques/complaints

  • got excommunicated from the Church

• his writing still spread (printing press, etc.)

• caused widespread religious and political divisions across Europe

• led to religious wars and conflicts between Catholics and Protestants

• aimed to reform the practices and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church

• challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and the Pope, ultimately leading to the creation of various Protestant denominations

Sikhism

syncretic blend of Hindu and Islamic doctrines