Land-Based Empires Flashcards

Flashcards about Land-Based Empires (1450-1750)

How did the Ottoman Empire expand starting in the 14th century?

The adoption of gunpowder weapons led the Ottomans to control much of Southwestern Europe and Anatolia, including Constantinople which they took in 1453 and renamed Istanbul. They also enslaved Christians from the Balkans, converted them to Islam and turned them into the Janissaries.

How did the Safavid Empire expand starting in the 16th century?

They raided and conquered neighboring territories using gunpowder weapons. Shah Abbas built up the military with gunpowder weapons and created an enslaved army composed of Christians from the Caucasus region.

What difference led to problems between the Ottomans and Safavids?

The Ottomans were Sunni Muslims and the Safavids were Shi’a Muslims. The difference began as a political divide over who should rule after the death of Muhammad.

How did the Mughal Empire expand starting in the 16th century?

Babur, the first leader of the Mughal Empire, defeated the Delhi Sultanate in South Asia using gunpowder weapons.

What was the Safavid-Mughal Conflict about?

This was a series of wars fought over lands in modern Afghanistan. The Safavids were Shi’a Muslims and the Mughals were Sunni, adding a religious aspect to the conflict.

What does it mean to legitimize and consolidate power?

Legitimizing power refers to the methods rulers use to establish their authority. Consolidating power is the method rulers use to transfer power from other groups to themselves.

How did rulers use bureaucracies to consolidate their power?

Bureaucracies include thousands of government officials who ensure laws are kept throughout the empire.

How did the Ottomans create a loyal bureaucracy?

The Devshirme system was used to staff their bureaucracy, which began with the enslavement and conversion of Christian boys from the Balkans and education and training in Istanbul.

What religious belief helped European monarchs to legitimize their power in this era?

The Divine Right of Kings was the idea that kings were God’s representatives on Earth.

How did the Qing Dynasty use art to help legitimize their rule?

They portrayed themselves in portraits with books to suggest Confucian wisdom, which would appeal to the Han Chinese population.

What are some examples of rulers using monumental architecture to legitimize and consolidate their rule?

The Inca built the Sun Temple of Cuzco, and Louis XIV built the Palace of Versailles, forcing the French nobility to live there.

What are some examples of rulers using innovative tax-collection systems to generate revenue to forward state power and expansion?

The Mughal Empire used the Zamindar System, the Ottomans used tax-farming, and the Aztec Empire used tribute lists.

How did Christianity in Europe show change and continuity c. 1450-1750 CE?

The Protestant Reformation marked a break with existing Christian traditions while the Catholic Church initiated a Catholic Reformation to clean up corruption, keeping their major beliefs.

How did the Ottoman-Safavid Rivalry lead to the deepening of the split between Sunni and Shi’a Islam?

Safavid leader Shah Ismail declared that the Safavid Empire would be a Shi’a Islamic state and publicly executed Sunni Muslims.

What was Sikhism and how did it develop?

Sikhism was a syncretic blend of Hindu and Islamic doctrines that developed in South Asia in the context of interactions between Hinduism and Islam. It adopted the belief in a single God and the cycle of reincarnation, and got rid of gender hierarchies and the caste system.