Empires of the Post-Classical and Medieval Period

Elites & Oppressed: Unit 1 & 2 For World History Ap

Elites: Arabic Umayyad dynasty, merchants

Region: Middle East

Dates: 661-750 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: jizya tax; tax farming

Means of Maintaining Unity: shared Arabic language

Oppressed: non-Muslims, Jewish elite, Christian elite

Elite: Arabic Abbasids, mamluks

Region: Middle East

Dates: 750-1258 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: jizya tax; tax farming

Means of Maintaining Unity: shared Arabic language

Oppressed: non-Muslims; Christian elite; Jewish elite

Elites: Ilkhans (Mongols)

Region: Middle East

Dates: 1260-1335 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute; tax farming; looting

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious conformity (Islam)

Oppressed: non-Muslims; local populations; Jewish elite; Christian elite

Elites: Mamluk Sultans, mamluk soldiers

Region: Middle East

Dates: 1250-1517 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: trade tariffs; corvee labor; tax farming

Means of Maintaining Unity: kept Mid. East Muslim;

Oppressed: non-Muslims; peasant farmers; Jewish elite; Christian elite

Elites: Byzantine Emperors

Region: Europe

Dates: 500s-1453 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: poll tax; corvee labor

Means of Maintaining Unity: Christianity

Oppressed: non-Christians; peasant farmers

Elite: Holy Roman Emperor (e.g Charlemagne, Fredrick I), Franks, lords, knights

Region: Europe

Dates: 800s-1200 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: feudalism; manorialism

Means of Maintaining Unity: Holy Roman Empire

Oppressed: serfs; peasant farmers

Elites: Nobles, aristocrats, Holy Roman Emperor, Vikings

Dates: 1200s-1300s

Means of Extracting Wealth: looting; feudalism; manorialism

Means of Maintaining Unity: forced religious conformity (Christianity)

Oppressed: non-Christians

Elite: Kings of England, France, Spain, urban guilds, Hanseatic league

Dates: 1300s-1450 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: poll tax

Means of Maintaining Unity: forced religious conformity (Christianity)

Oppressed: peasant farmers; non-Christians

Elite: Mongol Golden Horde

Region: Europe

Dates: 1200s - late 1400s CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious toleration

Oppressed: Russian elites

Elites: Sui (Grand Canal), bureaucracy

Region: East Asia

Dates: 589-610 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: poll tax

Means of Maintaining Unity: Mandate of Heaven (MoH)

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elites: Tang, bureaucracy

Region: East Asia

Dates: 619-c. 900 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute, Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: MoH

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elite: Song, bureaucracy

Region: East Asia

Dates: c.950- 1279 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Iron manufacturing; Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: MoH, neo-Confucianism, Buddhism toleration

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elite: Yuan Dyansty (gunpowder)

Region: East Asia

Dates: 1279-1368 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: hired foreign bureaucracy; Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: local bureacracy

Oppressed: Chinese people

Elite: Ming, mandarins, Chinese Bureaucracy

Region: East Asia

Dates: 1368-1644 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: poll tax in silver; Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: examination system

Oppressed: Yuan Dynasty

Elite: Japanese Emperor, Shogun, samurai

Dates: 900s-1450 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: trade, tribute, Feudalism

Means of Maintaining Unity: The Emperor

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elite: Rajputs (Islamic elite)

Region: South Asia

Dates: 600s-1100s CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Silk Roads; Indian Ocean trade routes; poll taxes

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious toleration

Oppressed: Hindus

Elite: Delhi Sultanate (Islamic)

Region: South Asia

Dates: 1200s-1500s

Means of Extracting Wealth: Jizya tax, Silk Roads, tax farming, Indian Ocean

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious toleration

Oppressed: Hindus

Elite: Vijayanagara Empire

Region: South Asia

Dates: 1336-1646

Means of Extracting Wealth: trade; Indian Ocean; conquest; Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: some tolerance of Islam

Oppressed: Muslims

Elite: Khmer Empire

Region: Southeast Asia

Dates: 802-1431 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Indian Ocean Trade

Means of Maintaining Unity: Hinduism then Buddhism

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elite: Srivijaya Empire

Region: Southeast Asia

Dates: 671-1025 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Indian Ocean Trade; tribute system; Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: Buddhism

Oppressed: peasant farmers; Hindus

Elite: Sukhothai Kingdom (Thai elite made up of ruler’s family and monks)

Region: Southeast Asia

Dates: 1248-1438 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Indian Ocean Trade, tribute, looting

Means of Maintaining Unity: Buddhist monstaries

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elite: Sultan of Malacca

Region: Southeast Asia

Dates: 1400-1511 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute; tax farming; looting; Silk Roads

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious tolerance; elite status EARNED (no nepotism)

Oppressed: enslaved people; non-Muslims

Elite: Majapahit Empire

Region: Southeast Asia

Dates: 1293-1527 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Tribute system; Indian Ocean Trade

Means of Maintaining Unity: Hinduism

Oppressed: peasant farmers

Elite: Genghis Khan and family

Region: Central Asia

Dates: 1206-1227 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute; tax farming

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious tolerance

Oppressed: enslaved people; elites of Asia

Elite: Chagatai Khanate

Region: Central Asia

Dates: 1227-1363 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute; tax farming

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious toleration

Oppressed: enslaved people; elites of Asia

Elite: Timurid Empire

Region: Central Empire

Dates: 1370-1507 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute; tax farming

Means of Maintaining Unity: religious toleration

Oppressed: enslaved people; elites of Asia

Elites: Sultans over Swahili city-states, qadis, merchants

Region: East Africa

Dates: 800-1400s CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Indian Ocean trade

Means of Maintaining Unity: Islam

Oppressed: enslaved peoples

Elite: Ghana

Regions: West Africa

Dates: 800-1000

Means of Extracting Wealth: Gold-Salt Trade

Means of Maintaining Unity: Islam

Oppressed: enslaved peoples

Elite: Mali Empire (e.g. Mansa Musa)

Region: West Africa

Dates: 1200s-1400s

Means of Extracting Wealth: Gold-Salt Trade

Means of Maintaining Unity: Islam

Oppressed: enslaved peoples

Elite: Songhai Empire (e.g Sonni Ali)

Region: West Africa

Dates: 1400s-1500s CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: Gold-Salt Trade

Means of Maintaining Unity: Islam

Oppressed: enslaved people

Elite: Toltecs

Region: North America

Dates: 950-1150 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute; looting

Means of Maintaining Unity: human sacrifice

Oppressed: conquered city states; peasant farmers

Elite: Mexica ruling the Aztec Empire

Region: North America

Dates: 1345-1521 CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute

Means of Maintaining Unity: Human sacrifice

Oppressed: peasants; enslaved peoples

Elite: Inca, bureaucracy

Region: South America

Dates: 1200-1500s CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: taxed labor; terrace farming; Mit’a system

Means of Maintaining Unity: forced religious conformity

Oppressed: peasants

Elite: Chiefs, kings (e.g Sandeleur, Tu’i Tonga)

Region: Oceania

Dates: 2500 BCE- 1500s CE

Means of Extracting Wealth: tribute

Means of Maintaining Unity: forced religious conformity

Oppressed: peasants