APWH Unit 2 Chapters 14-15

Study terms from chapters 14-15 of the textbook

Akbar

Akbar

Mughal emperor known for his religious tolerance and administrative innovations in India.

Aurangzeb

Mughal emperor who expanded the empire to its greatest extent but imposed strict Islamic policies.

Babur

Founder of the Mughal Empire in India, descending from Timur and Genghis Khan.

Battle of Chaldiran

A 1514 conflict between the Safavids and Ottomans, marking the Ottoman victory and dominance in the region.

Devshirme

Ottoman practice of recruiting Christian boys to serve as Janissaries or government officials.

Dhimmi

Non-Muslims in Islamic states granted protected status in exchange for paying the jizya tax.

Jizya

Tax levied on on non-Muslims in Islamic states.

Fatehpur Sikri

Akbar’s capital, showcasing Mughal architecture and cultural fusion.

Ghazis

Islamic warriors dedicated to spreading Islam.

Isfahan

Capital of the Safavid Empire and a center of Persian culture and architecture.

Ismail

Founder of the Safavid Empire and promoter of Twelver Shiism.

Istanbul

Ottoman capital and major cultural and economic hub, formerly Constantinopole.

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman soldiers, initial recruited through the devshirme system.

Kanun

Ottoman legal codes established by Suleyman the Magnificent.

Mehmed the Conqueror

Ottoman sultan who captured Constantinople in 1453.

Millet

Autonomous religious communities under Ottoman rule.

Mughal Empire

Islamic empire in South Asia, blending Persian, Indian, and Islamic cultures.

Mumtaz Mahal

Wife of Shah Jahan, for whom the Taj Mahal was built.

Osman Bey

Founder of the Ottoman Empire.

Ottoman Empire

Islamic empire that spanned Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa.

Qizilbash

Safavid military force loyal to the Shah.

Safavid Empire

Iranian empire known for establishing Twelver Shiism as its official religion.

Shah Abbas the Great

Safavid ruler who reformed the military and centralized the government.

Shah Jahan

Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal.

Shaykh Salim Chisti

Sufi mystic honored by Akbar for his spiritual guidance.

Shiism

Branch of Islam followed by the Safavids, emphasizing the leadership of the Imam.

Sinan Pasha

Ottoman architect responsible for the Suleymaniye Mosque.

Sufis

Islamic mystics focused on spiritual union with God.

Suleyman the Magnificent

Ottoman sultan who expanded the empire and reformed its laws.

Suleymaniye

Mosque built in Istanbul under Suleyman’s reign, symbolizing Ottoman grandeur.

Sunni

Largest branch of Islam, emphasizing the leadership for the caliph chosen by consensus.

Taj Mahal

Mausoleum built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife.

Topkapi Palace

Ottoman imperial palace in Istanbul.

Twelver Shiism

Branch of Islam believing in twelve divinely appointed Imams.

Wahhabi movement

Islamic reform movement emphasizing a return to puritanical teachings.

Analects of Confucius

Collection of Confucius’ teachings compiled by his disciples.

Bakufu

Military government established

Zheng He

Chinese admiral during the Ming dynasty who led vast maritime expeditions to promote trade and diplomacy.

Zhu Xi

Influential Neo-Confucian philosopher whose works shaped education and governance in Imperial China

Bunraku

Traditional Japanese puppet theater featuring elaborate puppets and a dramatic narrative style.

Christovao Ferreira

Portuguese Jesuit missionary who renounced Christianity under persecution in Japan during the Tokugawa era.

Civil service examinations

Imperial Chinese testing system based on Confucian classics to select government officials.

Collection of Books

Qing dynasty anthology that compiled and preserved key Chinese literacy and philosophical works.

Complete Library of the Four Treasuries

Largest literary project in Chinese history, commissioned by Emperor Qianlong to catalog China’s cultural achievements.

Daimyo

Powerful feudal lords in Japan who controlled vast lands and armies under the shogunate.

The Dream of the Red Chamber

Famous Chinese novel from the Qing dynasty, exploring themes of family, love, and societal decline.

Dutch learning

Knowledge of Western science and medicine introduced to Japan during its period of isolation through Dutch traders.

Eunuch

Castrated males who served in administrative and palace roles, particularly influential in the Ming dynasty.

Filial piety

Confucian principle emphasizing respect and devotion to one’s parents and ancestors.

Floating Worlds

Urban pleasure districts in Edo Japan known for entertainment such as theater, tea houses, and art.

Foot binding

Chinese cultural practice of binding womens’ feet to achieve a small, “ideal” foot size, symbolizing beauty and status.

Francis Xavier

Jesuit missionary who introduced Christianity to Japan in the mid-16th century.

Great Wall

Massive fortification in northern China, expanded during the Ming dynasty to protect against Mongol invasions.

Hongwu

Founder of the Ming dynasty who restored Han Chinese rule and implemented agrarian and administrative reforms.

Jesuits

Catholic missionaries who spread Christianity and Western knowledge, often blending their teachings with local traditions in Asia.

Journey to the West

Chinese novel that recounts a mythological monk’s pilgrimage to Indian in search of sacred Buddhist texts.

Kabuki

Traditional Japanese theater blending music, dance, and drama with stylized acting.

Kangxi

Qing emperor renowned for his long and stable reign, cultural patronage, and military achievements.

The Life of a Man Who Lived for Love

Japanese literary work depicting the romantic and hedonistic life in Edo’s urban culture.

Manchu

Ethnic group from Manchuria that established the Qing dynasty and ruled China from 1644 to 1912.

Matteo Ricci

Italian Jesuit who introduced Western science, technology, and Christianity to China during the Ming dynasty.

Ming Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644, known for its stability, cultural flourishing, and maritime expeditions.

Neo-Confucianism

Philosophical movement blending Confucianism with Buddhist and Daoist ideas, dominant during the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

Nurhaci

Manchu leader who united the tribes of Manchuria and laid the groundwork for the Qing dynasty.

Qianlong

Qing emperor under whose rule the dynasty expanded its territory to its greatest extent and patronized the arts.

Qing Dynasty

China’s final imperial dynasty (1644-1912), known for its territorial expansion and cultural achievements.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chinese historical novel depicting the political and military struggles during the Three Kingdoms period.

Sengoku

“Warring States” period in Japan marked by civil war and political instability before unification under the Tokugawa.

Shogun

Military leader in Japan who held de facto power during the feudal era, overshadowing the emperor.

Son of Heaven

Title used to legitimize the Chinese emperor’s rules as divinely sanctioned and the intermediary between heaven and earth.

Tokugawa

Japanese shogunate that unified the Japan, established a centralized government, and maintained a policy of isolation.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Founder of the Tokugawa shogunate who unified Japan and established a long-lasting feudal order.

The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven

Jesuit text by Matteo Ricci, framing Christianity within Confucian principles to appeal to Chinese intellectuals.

Ukiyo

Japanese term for “floating world,” referring to the vibrant culture of Edo’s urban pleasure districts.

Wanli

Ming emperor whose neglect of governance contributed to the dynasty’s decline

Yongle

Ming emperor known for sponsoring Zheng He’s voyages, commissioning the Yongle Encyclopedia, and constructing the Forbidden City.

Yongle Encyclopedia

Massive compilation of Chinese knowledge, reflecting the scholarly ambitions of the Ming dynasty.