World History: Gunpowder Empires, Absolutism, and the Reformation

Vocabulary flashcards detailing key terminology, leaders, institutions, and religious movements of the Gunpowder Empires, European Absolutism, and the Protestant and Catholic Reformations.

Gunpowder Empires

A concept proposed by Marshall & William McNeil in "The Venture of Islam" (1974), identifying the acquisition of firearms as the key to the evolution and power consolidation of three Islamic empires in the 15th and 16th centuries: the Ottoman, Safavid (Safauid), and Mughal.

Military Patronage States

A system of governance characterized by the legitimization of independent dynastic law, viewing the entire state as a military force, and making all economic and cultural advancement the gift of the ruling family.

Sufi Islam

A popular ascetic Islamic movement focusing on the mystical inner nature of Islam that engaged in fasting and self-punishment for God, taught along trade routes, and offered hospitality and sanctuary to travelers.

Deushrime system

An Ottoman recruitment practice through which Christian boys were "donated" and incorporated into the Ottoman military structure.

Janissaries

An elite, professional Ottoman military force that formed one of the primary keys to the empire's military success.

Mehmed II

Ottoman Sultan (1451-1481) who took the throne at age 19, overcame challenges from rival princes and Janissaries, and conquered Constantinople on May 29, 1453, after a 57-day siege.

Kanun 10s mani

A comprehensive, enduring legal code created by Suleyman that codified legal decisions into a coherent body harmonized with Islamic religious law, while reducing capital offenses and standardizing fines and punishments.

Rayas

Christian farmers in near serfdom whose social standing was raised and whose taxes and service requirements were reduced under Suleyman's Ottoman rule.

Blood Libel

An anti-Jewish accusation outlawed by the Ottoman government, which instead issued imperial protection for Jews emigrating from Spain.

Madrassas

Secondary schools within the Ottoman three-level education system that provided students with a specialized curriculum between free primary schools and higher madrassas (universities).

Divan

The Ottoman Council of State, originally composed of tribal elders, that functioned as a cabinet within the central government.

Harem

A term meaning "secret place," denoting the institution of concubinage used by Ottoman Sultans to produce royal heirs.

Sultan Ualide

The Sultan's mother, who was in charge of running the imperial harem and frequently exerted influence in state politics.

Sultan Hurren

The favored concubine within the Ottoman imperial harem.

Mansabdar system

An administrative ranking system introduced by Akbar the Great that organized every Mughal civil servant into one of $33$ ranks (multiplied by $10$), with officials paid directly by the emperor.

Akbar the Great

Mughal emperor (1556-1605) who expanded the empire, utilized matchlocks and war elephants, rescinded forced conversions, patronized Sanskrit arts, and established broad religious tolerance.

Dahsala

A Mughal tax reform system implemented under Akbar that assessed taxation at $\frac{1}{3}$ of average crop prices calculated over a $10$-year period.

Shah Jahan

Mughal emperor (1628-1658) who presided over the empire at its height, commanded an army of $1{,}000{,}000$, mass-produced cannons, introduced the Mawari horse, and imposed Sharia on the Hindu population.

Aurungazed

Mughal emperor (1658-1707) who completed the conquest of India using multibarrel cannons and rocketry, strictly enforced Islamic law, destroyed Hindu temples, and imposed taxes above syzia, despite having an administration that was $30\%$ Hindu.

Absolutism

A European transformation of the state where a monarch wields control over all state organs (military, treasuries, courts) without a constitution or legislative assembly, while navigating competing factions according to political norms.

Divine Right

The political doctrine asserted by absolute monarchs such as Louis XIV ("The Sun King") claiming their legitimate authority to rule is granted directly by the grace of God.

Versailles

The grand palace where Louis XIV used elaborate court ritual and majesty to monitor and maintain control over the French nobility.

Peter the Great

Ruler of Russia's Romanou Dynasty (1682-1725) who built a navy, defeated the Ottomans, and sought to westernize Russia by sheer force of will to establish a "window on the west."

Catherine of Russia

German-born ruler of Russia who advanced westernization by importing European philosophers and scholars to her court.

Fredrich William of Prussia

Leader of Prussia who built a formidable military pre-German state and pioneered social reforms, including the first public school system and social security.

Reformation

A permanent split in the Christian faith that began in the 16th century, driven by church corruption, the invention of the printing press (around 1456), and the objective to reform the Catholic Church.

Indulgence

A certificate sold by the Catholic Church as a "get out of sin" guarantee of forgiveness, which could be purchased in advance and served to raise funds for Vatican art.

Martin Luther

A German monk who opposed church corruption and posted his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Cathedral door, sparking the Protestant Reformation.

Protestantism

An umbrella term for roughly $300$ new forms of Christianity that broke from Catholicism, reducing the sacraments to two, minimizing Catholic ceremony, and allowing divorce and married clergy.

Anabaptist Movement

A distinct branch of the Protestant Reformation that rejected the validity of childhood baptism.

Calvinism

A Protestant theological tradition that emphasizes predestination and formed the doctrinal foundation for the Puritans.

Counter-Reformation

The internal reform movement of the Catholic Church that instituted the College of Cardinals to select popes, standardized clergy training, banned indulgences, and prohibited clerical marriage.

Societ of jesus

A Catholic religious order founded by Ignatious loyala during the Counter-Reformation to defend and advance the faith.