3.1 Land Based empires

Gunpowder Empires

Empires (Ottoman

Ottoman Empire

Sunni Muslim empire based in Anatolia; dominated the eastern Mediterranean and Balkans; known for strong military and bureaucracy.

Suleiman the Magnificent

Ottoman sultan (r. 1520–1566) who expanded territory

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman soldiers recruited through the devshirme system; loyal to the sultan and key to Ottoman military success.

Devshirme

Ottoman system of taking Christian boys

Tax Farming (Ottoman)

System where the right to collect taxes was sold to individuals who paid the government a fixed sum and kept extra profit.

Safavid Empire

Shia Muslim empire in Persia (modern-day Iran) that established Shiism as the state religion and often fought the Sunni Ottomans.

Shah Abbas I

Safavid ruler (r. 1588–1629) who strengthened the army

Mughal Empire

Muslim-led empire in South Asia that blended Persian

Akbar the Great

Mughal emperor (r. 1556–1605) known for religious tolerance

Shah Jahan & the Taj Mahal

Mughal emperor (r. 1628–1658) who built the Taj Mahal as a symbol of Mughal wealth and artistic achievement.

Mughal Splendor

Cultural and architectural brilliance during Mughal rule

Mansabdari System

Mughal ranking and administrative system where officials (mansabdars) held military and civil positions tied to land revenue.

Zamindars

Local tax collectors in Mughal India who gathered revenue for the state and maintained regional control.

Din-i-Ilahi / Religious Syncretism

Akbar’s effort to merge elements of different faiths into one tolerant religion promoting loyalty to him.

Legitimizing Power

Rulers used religion

Romanov Dynasty

Russian royal family starting with Michael Romanov (1613) that centralized power and ruled until 1917.

Peter the Great

Russian tsar (r. 1682–1725) who westernized Russia

Table of Ranks

System created by Peter the Great to rank nobles and officials by service to the state instead of birthright.

Centralization & Bureaucracy

Rulers built stronger administrations

Military Revolution

Shift to using gunpowder

Religious Conflict & Control

Rulers enforced or managed religion for unity: Safavid Shiism vs. Ottoman Sunnism

Economic Foundations

Empires financed expansion through taxation