Key Concepts in Early Modern Empires and Governance

Militarism

Militarism is the belief or the desire of a gov or a ppl that a state should maintain a strong military capability & to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values.

Gunpowder Empires

Refers to the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires which rose to prominence in the early modern period due to their effective use of gunpowder weapons and innovative military technology.

Legitimize

To make it official, acceptable, or lawful, often implying that it is now recognized as valid or proper.

Consolidate

To join together into one whole/to bring together or unite separate things into a single, stronger, or more unified whole, often for the purpose of gaining control or power.

Qing Empire

The last imperial dynasty of China.

Boyars

Nobility in Russia.

Serfs

Agricultural laborers bound under the feudal system to work on their lord's estate.

Janissaries

Elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and bodyguards.

Millet System

A system used by the Ottoman Empire to govern non-Muslim communities by allowing them to maintain their own religious laws and practices.

Zamindars

Landowners in the Mughal Empire who were responsible for collecting taxes from peasants.

Samurai

The military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early modern Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

The founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868.

Topkapi Palace

The former palace of the Ottoman sultans in Istanbul.

Jizya Tax

A tax historically levied on non-Muslims in an Islamic state.

Calvinism

A major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Calvin.

Indulgences

Payments made to the Church that were said to reduce punishment for sins.

Simony

The act of selling church offices and roles.

Anglicanism

The tradition within Christianity comprising the Church of England and churches which are in communion with it.

Jesuits

Members of the Society of Jesus, a religious order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Catholicism

The faith, practice, and system of the Catholic Church.

Inquisition

A group of institutions within the Catholic Church tasked with eradicating heresy.

Edict of Nantes

A 1598 decree by Henry IV of France granting religious freedom to the Huguenots.

Peace of Augsburg

A treaty signed in 1555 that allowed for the coexistence of Catholicism and Lutheranism in Germany.

Peace of Westphalia

A series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648 and marked the beginning of modern state sovereignty.

Sharia Law

Islamic law derived from the Quran and Hadith.

Renaissance

A period of cultural rebirth in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century.

Scientific Revolution

A period of great advances in science during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Empiricism

The theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses.

Enlightenment

An intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 18th century.

Omani-European Rivalry

The competition between Oman and European powers for control over trade routes and territories.

Maritime

Related to the sea; often used in the context of trade and navigation.

Caravel/Fluyt/Carrack

Types of ships used during the Age of Exploration.

Astronomical Charts

Maps used for navigation that depict the positions of celestial bodies.

Gunpowder

An explosive powder used as a propellant in firearms and artillery.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth through trade.

Vasco da Gama

A Portuguese explorer who was the first to reach India by sea.

Monopoly

The exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity or service.

Galleon Ships

Large multi-decked sailing ships used primarily by European states from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Currency

A system of money in general use in a particular country.

Missionaries/Missionary

Individuals sent on a religious mission, often to promote Christianity.

Northwest Passage

A sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic.

New Amsterdam

A 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that later became New York City.

Measles/Smallpox/Malaria/Influenza

Diseases that had significant impacts on populations throughout history.

Maize

A cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico.

Diaspora

The dispersion of any people from their original homeland.

Swahili

A Bantu language widely spoken in East Africa.

Portuguese

Relating to Portugal or its people.

Isolationism/Isolationist

A foreign policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups.

Portugal/Great Britain

Countries that played significant roles in global exploration and trade.

Mamluks

A political and military class that ruled Egypt and the Levant during the medieval period.

Mita/Mit'a System

A labor system used by the Spanish in colonial Peru, requiring indigenous people to work a certain number of days per year.

Hacienda/Encomienda System

Systems of land and labor used in colonial Spanish America.

Commercial Revolution

A period of European economic expansion, colonialism, and mercantilism from the 11th to the 18th centuries.

Triangular Trade

A historical trade route that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Viceroy/Viceroys

Officials who governed large territories on behalf of a monarch.

Religious Syncretism

The blending of different religious beliefs and practices.

Metacom's War

A conflict between New England colonists and Native American tribes led by Metacom in 1675-1676.

Pueblo Revolt

An uprising of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonization in 1680.

Haitian Revolution

A successful anti-slavery and anti-colonial insurrection by self-liberated enslaved people in Saint-Domingue.

Cossacks

Members of a group of predominantly East Slavic-speaking people known for their military prowess.

Glorious Revolution

The overthrow of King James II of England in 1688.

Parliament

The supreme legislative body in the UK, consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Joint-Stock Companies

Businesses owned by shareholders that contributed capital and shared profits.

Limited Liability

A legal structure that limits an investor's risk to the amount they invested in a company.