Unit 2, Lesson 3 - Ottomans/Safavids/Mughals
Ottomans Build a Vast Empire
Turks Move into Byzantium
1. In the 1300s, a man named Osman united many of the nomadic ghazis, or Islamic warriors of Anatolia.
2. His followers became known as Ottomans
3. Gunpowder was a major factor in the rise
of Ottoman power.
Osman I
Ghazi
Ottoman Canon
Beginning of Ottoman Empire
4. The 2nd Ottoman leader was Orkhan I. He declared himself sultan, or “overlord” and soon conquered the Byzantine city of Adrianople.
5. Ottoman growth was briefly interrupted by the military activities of Timur the Lame, a rebellious warrior from Central Asia.
Timur the Lame
Orkan I
Powerful Sultans Spur Dramatic Expansion
1. Mehmed II or Mehmed the Conqueror led the Ottomans to takeover the city of Constantinople and opened up the Bosporus Strait for Ottoman shipping and trade.
2. Mehmed opened the city to new citizens of many religious backgrounds. Christians, Jews, and Muslims moved to the city and today it is known as Istanbul.
Mehmed II
Suleyman the Lawgiver
1. Suleyman the Lawgiver or Suleyman the Magnificent came to the throne in 1520. He ruled for 46 years.
2. He spread the Ottoman Empire into Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa.
3. Sultans in the Ottoman Empire used a system called devshirme, or taking boys from conquered Christian countries and turning them into Muslim soldiers.
4. The army had an elite force known as janissaries, or warriors loyal only to the sultan.
Suleyman the Lawgiver
devshirme
janissaries
The Empires Declines Slowly
1. One of the major factors for the decline of the Ottoman Empire was incompetent leadership.
Safavids – Cultural Blending
1. The pursuit of religious converts, trade, and conquest led to cultural blending during the time of the Ottoman Empire.
Safavids
1. The Safavid Empire was a Shi’ite Muslim dynasty in Persia during the 16th and 18th centuries that blended traditions of Persians, Ottomans, and Arabs.
2. The Safavid Empire grew during the time of a 12-year-old leader name Isma’il, he took the title of shah or king.
3. Isma’il didn’t adopt a policy of religious toleration. He also outraged many Ottomans by destroying Sunnis in Baghdad.
4. The Safavid Empire’s national industry of carpet weaving became strongly influenced by Western cultures as European demand for these rugs grew.
5. The Safavid Empire also declined due to incompetent leaders.
Mughal Empire in India
Akbar’s Golden Age
1. Akbar was a great ruler of the Mughal Empire in India from 1556 to 1603. He is known for his wisdom and tolerance.
2. Although a Muslim, Akbar allowed cultural blending by permitting religious freedom.
3. A language called Urdu, which means “from the soldier’s camp” is an example of cultural blending during the Mughal Empire. It is a mix of many different languages spoken by Mughal soldiers from different areas.
Abkar’s Successors
1. Jahangir came to power next. His rebellious son, Khusrau, left and was protected by a religious group called the Sikhs.
2. Mughals killed the Sikh leader, which turned this non-violent group into an anti-Muslim militant group.
3. Shah Jahan was a ruler who often ignored his own people because he was more interested in his wife and architecture, so much so, that he built the famous Taj Mahal in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.