Chapter 15: The Muslim Empire

• The Ottoman Turks were able to conquer and control a vast empire in the beginning because they practiced absolute monarchy. They used military mmight to control the land they conquered. The imperial army's Janissaries gained lots of power and controlled the political landscape to some degree. The sultan and the grand vizier were powerful and allowed the culture to flourish.
• The Shi'a practice caused conflict with the Sufi Ottoman, which resulted in their defeat in battle. The Mullahs encouraged/spread their ideas to the newly conquered areas and the practice limited power for women. The mosques for the practice were beautiful, geometric shapes and bright colors inspired by their own art.
• Similar to Ottoman and Safavid empire, it was an absolute monarchy. However, attempts to combine Hinduism and Islam failed. Women had little power, architecture and art flourished, and power struggles also happened.
• Safavid dynasty


  Originally a Turkic nomadic group; family originated in Sufi mystic group; espoused Shi'ism; conquered territory and established kingdom in region equivalent to modern Iran; lasted until 1722.
• Mughal Empire


  Established by Babur in India in 1526; the name is taken from the supposed Mongol descent of Babur, but there is little indication of any Mongol influence in the dynasty; Mughal rule would flourish for almost two centuries, but became weak after rule of Aurangzeb in first decades of eighteenth century.
• Ottomans Empire


  A dynasty established

  beginning in the thirteenth

  century by Turkic peoples

  from Central Asia. Though

  most of their empire’s early

  territory was in Asia Minor, the

  Ottomans eventually captured

  Constantinople and made it

  the capital of an empire that

  spanned three continents and

  lasted over 600 years
• Mehmed II


  Ottoman sultan called the "Conqueror"; responsible for conquest of Constantinople in 1453; destroyed what remained of Byzantine Empire.
• Janissaries


  Ottoman infantry divisions that

  dominated Ottoman armies;

  forcibly conscripted as boys in

  conquered areas of Balkans;

  legally slaves; translated military

  service into political influence,

  particularly after fifteenth

  century.
• Sail al-Din


  Early fourteenth-century Sufi mystic; began campaign to purify Islam; first member of Safavid dynasty.
• Red Heads


  Name given to Safavid followers because of their distinctive red headgear.
• Isma'il


  Sufi commander who conquered city of Tabriz in 1501; first Safavid to be proclaimed shah or emperor.
• Chaldiran


  Site of battle between Safavids and Ottomans in 1514; Safavids severely defeated by Ottomans; checked Western advance of Safavid empire.
• Abbas the Great


  Safavid ruler from 1587 to 1629; extended Safavid domain to greatest extent; created slaved regiment based on capture Russians, who monopolized firearms within Safavid armies; incorporated Western military technology.
• imams


  According to Shi'ism, ruler who could trace descent from the successors of Ali.
• mullahs


  Local mosque officials and prayer leaders within the Safavid Empire; agents of Safavid religious campaign to convert all of population to Shi'ism.
• Isfahan


  Safavid capital under Abbas the Great; planned city laid out according to shah's plan; example of Safavid architecture.
• Nadir Khan Afshar


  Soldier-adventurer following fall of Safavid dynasty in 1722; proclaimed himself shah in 1736; established short-lived dynasty in reduced kingdom.
• Babur 


  Founder of Mughal dynasty in India; descended from Turkic warriors; first led invasion of India in 1526.
• Humayan


  Son and successor of Babur; expelled from India in 1540, but restored Mughal rule by 1556; died shortly thereafter.
• Akbar 


  Son and successor of Humayan; oversaw building of military and administrative systems that became typical of Mughal rule in India; pursed policy of cooperation with Hindu princes; attempted to create new religion to bind Muslim and Hindu populations of India.
• DIn-i-Ilahi


  Religion initiated by Akbar in Mughal India; blended elements of the many faiths of the subcontinent; key to efforts to reconcile Hindus and Muslims in India, but failed.
• sati


  The practice followed by small minorities of Indians, usually upper caste, or burning widows on the funeral pyre of their deceased husbands.
• purdah


  The seclusion of Indian women in their homes.
• Aurangzeb


  Mughal emperor who succeeded Shah Jahan; known for his religious zealotry.
• Taj Mahal


  Most famous architectural achievement of Mughal India; originally built as a mausoleum for the wife of Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal.
• Nur Jahan


  Wife of Jahangir; amassed power in court and created faction of male relatives who dominated Mughal empire during later years of Jahangir's reign.
• Mumtaz Mahal


  Wife of Shah Jahan; took an active political role in Mughal court; entombed in Taj Mahal
• Marattas


  Western India peoples who rebelled against Mughal control early in eighteenth century
• Sikhs

  Sect in Northwest India; early leaders tried to bridge differences between Hindus and Muslims, but Mughal persecution led to anti-Muslim feeling.