The Rise and Fall of the Muslim EmpiresSSWH4:e; 12:a-b.
Time and Geography
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POLITICAL
Rise of the Ottomans
•Due to two developments
–Turkification of the caliphate
•Abbasid rulers forced to rely on skills of nomadic Turks toquell revolts
•Seljuk Turks resumed offensive against Byzantines, gotaccess to Asia Minor at Battle of Manzikert
–Growing importance of dervish, or Sufi, orders inIslam – religious associations formed around a centralfigure
Seljuk Turks
Growth of Ottoman Empire
•Turkish chieftain, Osman,given fiefdom to wage jihadagainst Byzantines
–Empire began as ghazi state– frontier warriors
–Initially organized around twodervish orders
Osman Gazi
Growth of Ottoman Empire
•Son, Orhan, reorganizedstate along feudal lines
–Various nationalities, religiousgroups absorbed
–Each group organized as avilayet – separate minority
Orhan Ghazi
Growth of Ottoman Empire
•Constantinople was final vestige of ByzantineEmpire
–surrendered in 1453, took the name Istanbul
Constantinoplewas renamedIstanbul
Map 24.1
Ottoman Government
•Empire reached its peak under Suleiman the Magnificent
•Government, Sublime Porte, divided into secular andreligious bureaucracy
•Secular Bureaucracy:
–Sultan, officials (grand vizier, prime
minister to copyists)
–Most members were converts to Islam
•Religious Bureaucracy
–Members were ulama, learned scholars
of the law, the Sharia
–Shaykh al-Islam was head of
bureaucracy
–Great moral authority, junior partner in
government
A contemporary versionof a Shaykh al-Islam
Army in Ottoman Government
•Far superior to Europeanmilitaries
–Professional, disciplined,well-trained, armedJanissaries
•Devshirme – system to staffarmy
–Balkan Christian boyskidnapped, converted toIslam
–Had unlimited chances toadvance
–Created new army units thatwere extremely loyal
Illustration of the registration of
Christian boys for the devshirme.
Ottoman miniature painting, 1558
Army in Ottoman Government
•Army was mobile,permanent corps, couldbe moved about easily
•When Janissaries beganto own land, they becameless loyal, developedlocal connections
Janissaries
Non-Muslims under Ottoman Rule
•Varied over time, but generally Jews, Christians treatedfairly
•There were clear limits to tolerance
•Most of Balkans were Orthodox Christians, treated welluntil 17th century
•They began looking for help from Austria, Russia – werethen treated as potential traitors
•Bad treatment is basis of hatreds today
Zenith of Ottoman Empire –Suleiman and After
•Empire reached peak during Suleiman’s Rule, close tosize of Roman Empire
•Needed powerful civil and religious ruler
•Suleiman withdrew from political affairs, meetings withhis divan (council)
•Growing difficulty in dealing with West, but did not loseland until Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699
Peace conference in Karlowitzin 1699. Engraving of unknownGerman artist from the LowCountries
THE MUSLIM EMPIRES INPERSIA AND INDIA
Safavid Empire in Persia
•Different from Ottomans – Shi’ite Muslim
•Took over much of Persian Muslim state
•Lasted about 200 years, strong
competition to Ottomans
•Reached heights under Shah
Abbas I
•Cultural high point in Persia
•Collapsed in the 1720s
Picture of ShahEsma'il. SafavidEmpire
Mughal Empire in India
•Turks known as the Mughals (from Mongol)
•Delhi Sultanate controlled most of subcontinent,overthrown
•Muslim leader Babur established Mughal Muslim Indiandynasty
•His grandson, Akbar, the Great
–Mughals controlled most of India
–Reorganized central government,
developed efficient bureaucracy, many
other reforms
–Religious and social toleration
•Ethnically equal society
•Repealed poll tax on non-Muslims
–Interested in learning
–Revived strong sense of national unity
Akbar,the Great
RELIGIOUS/ SOCIAL
Mughal Society and Culture
•Caste system continued to be refined
–Still no social interaction between castes
•Sikhs became separate religion, fought Mughals
•Hindus adopted Muslim ideas: purdah (seclusion ofwomen)
•Introduced Persian culture in literature (Rubaiyat),drama, architecture (Taj Mahal)
Guru Nanak was thefounder of the religion ofSikhism and the first ofthe eleven Sikh Gurus,the eleventh being theliving Guru, Guru GranthSahib
INTELLECTUAL
Mughal Society and Culture
•System of religious schools (madrasa)
•Brahmins handled literacy in the Hindu villages
•New Urdu language (Pakistan) replaced Sanskrit
•Cosmopolitan dynasty, aware of local and foreigncultural affairs
New Urdu language (Pictured above) replaced Sanskrit
ECONOMIC
Mughal Economy
•Agrarian society remained undisturbed
•Rewards for men who served ingovernment and military
•Peasants were tenants, not proprietors
•Village tradition, the caste system, andgovernment tax collectors restricted theirfreedoms
Discussion Questions
1.How would you compare the Ottoman Turks’ treatmentof religious minorities to such treatment in Europeanmonarchies? Which would you consider morebenevolent and less invasive? How do you accountfor these differences?
2.The Indian ruler Akbar is usually referred to as “Akbarthe Great.” Why? What did he do to merit that title?What other individuals in history were called ‘theGreat?” What sorts of actions do rulers have to do inorder to be given that title? Can you think of anyone inthe modern world who might qualify to be called “theGreat?”
