WHAP Unit 3: Land-based empires

What is a land-based empire?

A land based empire is one whose power comes from the extent of its territorial holdings.

What happened to land-based empires during this period?

They expanded rapidly and reached their peak of wealth and influence.

What are the main land-based empires to know?

Ottoman Empire

Safavid empire

Mughal empire

Ming and Qing Dynasties

Aztecs and Inca

What was the Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)?

-The Ottoman Empire was a powerful Turkish dynasty that emerged in the early 14th century.

-They expanded rapidly during the 15th-18th centuries.

-Spanned Anatolia, Southeast Europe, and North Africa.

-What were the 3 main reasons for Ottoman expansion?

-through the use of gunpowder weaponry.

-through the conquering of Constantinople in 1453, given them access to the European interior.

-through the creation of an elite military force known as the janissaries.

What was the Ottoman devshirme system?

The Ottoman devshirme system was a political policy of enslaving Christian boys the Balkans, converting them to Islam, and training them to become military and bureaucratic elites.

How did the devshirme system help Ottoman leaders consolidate power?

It helped the Ottomans staff their bureaucracy with highly trained, Muslim elites who were loyal to the Sultan.

What is a bureaucracy?

A bureaucracy is a form of government consisting of officials who ensure laws are kept throughout the empire.

What was the Safavid empire (1501-1736)?

The Safavid empire was a major Shi’a Muslim dynasty located in present-day Iran.

-Neighbored the Ottomans from the right.

-Expanded rapidly due to gunpowder weapons.

Who were 2 important Safavid leaders and what did they do?

-Shah Ismail: expanded the empire by conquering neighboring territories.

-Shah Abbas: Built up the Safavid military by adopting gunpowder weaponry since the empire lacked natural defensive barriers such as mountains.

Established a system similar to the devshirme system in which enslaved Christians from the Caucasus region trained to join the elite military force (Ghulams)

What are some similarities between the Ottoman and Safavid empire?

-Both began as small empires and expanded rapidly from gunpowder weapons

-Both had an elite enslaved military force

-Both were Muslim

What was the main difference between the Ottoman and Safavid?

-The Ottoman were Sunni Muslim while the Safavid were Shi’a Muslim.

What caused the Sunni-Shi’a split?

Differences in beliefs over who should lead the Muslim community

-Sunni believed that the caliph and successor to Muhammad could be anyone spiritually fit for the role.

-Shi’a believed that only blood relatives of Muhammad were his legitimate successor.

Each branch believed they were the true representation of Islam, leading to mass conflict

What was the Mughal empire?

-The Mughal empire was another Turkic dynasty founded by Babur (he claimed claimed legitimacy through ancestry) he was a descendant of Genghis Khan and Timur

Expanded through gunpowder weaponry

-Majority Hindu population, but Akbar’s tolerance of different religions + successful administration of the empire led to a golden age.

Who was Akbar the great?

Akbar was a Mughal empire known for his tolerance of different ethnic groups and administrative centralization.

What was the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and how did they consolidate power?

-The Ming Dynasty was an ethnically Han dynasty that ruled East Asia.

-They were known for consolidating power in the emperor and restoring traditional Chinese institutions and practices such as the civil service exams

What was the Qing Dynasty?

-The Qing dynasty was a foreign dynasty ruled by the Manchu ethnic group.

-focused on military expansion using gunpowder weaponry.

How were the Qing and Mughal empires similar?

They were both ethnically different from their subjects.

What is the Safavid-Mughal conflict?

The Mughal-Safavid conflict is a series of wars fought over territory in modern-day Afghanistan.

-Before the war, Mughals controlled the territory but the Safavids seized it,

-The war was intensified by religious divisions (Sunni vs Shi’a)

-No clear victory

Definition of legitimize?

The methods a ruler uses to establish their authority.

Definition of consolidate?

The methods a ruler uses to transfer power from other groups to themselves.

What were the 4 main ways rulers legitimized their rule and consolidated power?

1) Through the formation of large bureaucracies

2) Through the development of military professionals

3) Through the promotion of religious ideas, art, and monumental architecture

4) Through Innovations in tax collection systems

What is a bureaucracy?

A bureaucracy os a form of government that includes officials who ensure laws are kept throughout the empire.

Example of a large bureaucracy?

-The Ottomans used the devshirme system to staff their bureaucracy with highly trained, Muslim individuals who were loyal to the sultan.

What is the Ottoman Divian?

The Ottoman Divian is their imperial council.

Examples of the development of military professionals?

-The Ottoman janissaries

-The Safavid Ghulam

3 Examples of the promotion of religious/philosophical ideas?

-European monarchs began to consolidate power through the divine right of kings.

Divine right of kings: ideology employed by monarchs in Europe that stated they were God’s representative on Earth.

-Qing Emperor Kangxi commissioned imperial portraits that emphasized Confucian values of education and moral behavior.

-Incan rulers were associated with the gods and proclaimed divine authority.

Examples of monumental architecture?

-French Palace of Versailles

Built by Louis the 14th in. Allowed the monarch to oversee the activities of the French nobility by requiring them to live in the palace for parts of the year. Transfered power to Louis.

-Incan Sun Temple of Kuzco

Site of many religious festivals and had walls that were decorated with gold, demonstrating the wealth of the empire.

What are some examples of innovations in tax collection systems?

1) Mughal zamindar system

2) Ottoman tax farming

3) Aztec tribute lists

What was the Ottoman tax farming system?

The tax farming system was an economic policy where the highest bidder won the right to collect taxes from a certain group of people.

What were Mughal zamindars?

Zamindars were elite landowners who were granted authority to tax peasants living on their land on behalf of the imperial government.

What were Aztec tribute lists?

Aztec tribute lists were lists given to conquered territories that entailed the goods the territory was responsible for sending to the government. It secured a steady flow of goods to the empire.

Examples of fracturing belief systems during this period?

1) Protestant Reformation

2 Sunni-Shi’a split

Why did the Catholic church become corrupt?

-Sale of indulgences (people paying money to have their sins forgiven)

-practice of simony (people could buy positions of power in the church)

Who was Martin Luther?

Martin Luther was a German theologian who criticized the Roman Catholic Church for its corruption.

-In 1517, he published the 95 Theses, a list of grievances regarding the church.

-He advocated for the closer adherence to scripture.

-The church denounced him as a heretic and excommunicated him.

How were Martin Luther’s ideas able to spread?

The printing press

What was the Protestant Reformation?

The Protestant Reformation was a 16th century religious, political, and cultural upheaval that splintered Western Christianity.

What was the Sunni-Shi’a split?

-Shah Ismail declared Safavid Empire Shi’a —> conflict with Sunni Muslim empires.

-his decision intensified the split between the two branches.

-Ritual cursing

What is Sikhism?

Sikhism is syncretic blend of Hindu and Islamic doctrines that originated in South Asia.

Sikhism discarded the caste system and believed in reincarnation like Buddhism but also was monotheistic like Islam.