Chapters 19 and 20 The Gunpowder Empires The

Chapters 19 and 20

The Gunpowder Empires

The Mughals • Founded by Babur in 1526 - sweeps away the Delhi sultanate in India • Descendant of Tamerlane and Genghis Khan – like them, he wants to build an extensive empire • Babur’s grandson is Akbar the Great- golden age • Syncretism- mixing of cultural elements such as language, art, and architecture • Religious toleration- “Divine Faith”- encouraged peace between Hindus and Muslims – ends forced conversion of Hindu prisoners • Land grants • Well-organized govt. and military (both Muslims and Hindus in military)

• • • Akbar’s grandson is Shah (king) Jahan Favorite wife dies “Empire has no sweetness” “Life itself has no relish for me now” Builds Taj Mahal for her in Muslim-style architecture

Ottoman Empire • Turkish people • Fall of Mongols leads to rise of Ottoman Turks (1300) • Conquer Constantinople in 1453 - now involved in sea economy- renamed Istanbul • Continue to expand over 200 yrs. Conquer largest empire since Abbasid caliphate- used innovation and new technology • Culturally and ethnically diverse empire • Take Hungary and almost take Austria • Who was the Ottoman’s most significant rival for power in Central Asia?

Society • 4 Classes of people • “men of the pen”- scientists, writers, lawyers etc. • “men of the sword” • “men of negotiation” (merchants, artisans) • “men of husbandry” (farmers and herders) • Women were isolated in the harem

• Devshirme system- a kind of slavery • Janissaries- Christian families had to turn over young sons to empire • Converted to Islam • Trained and served in armies • Results in loyal corps of troops and administrators among Ottoman Christians

Ottoman Empire Deteriorates • Falls behind European technology and remains dependant on agriculture • By 1720’s the Ottoman elite are so removed from problems in society that they spend all their time growing expensive tulips • Extraterritoriality: being exempt from the laws of the country in which you live

Safavid Empire • 1500 s- Strong empire in present-day Iran (Persia) • In between Ottomans and Mughals • Safavids are staunch Shiites mixed with Sufi influence, while the Ottomans are Suni= conflict • Capital at Isfahan • Center of silk, trade and culture • Centrally located- Significance? Land-based empire • Almost all citizens were farmers and herders (could not modernize economy) • Eventually, Shah’s govt. lacks support • Conquered by Afghans who move capital to Tehran

Russia • Mongols rule Russia with the help of local princes • Russia defeats Sweden, Poland, the Ottoman Empire, and the Mongols in order to expand • Kievan Russia closely linked to Byzantine Empire • Mongol rule isolates Russia so not influenced by Renaissance and Reformation • Russia reacts to Mongol rule by expanding and establishing absolute rule • As Russia expands, so does serfdom- serfs produced goods for local economy (Russia is agricultural and dependant on trade) Serfdom in Russia ends around 1861. What similar system ends around that time?

• 1480 - Ivan III “the Great” refuses to pay tribute to the Mongols • Declares himself “Tsar” (Czar) – Saw Russia as the inheritors of the Roman empire after the Byzantines • Ivan the IV “Ivan the Terrible” – Centralizes power (Absolute ruler) – Boyers (nobility) resist – Ivan has the rebels brutally killed • When Ivan dies, the boyers make Mikhail Romanov the new Tsar- leads to Romanov dynasty

Peter the Great – 1682 -1724 • Goal is westernization • Symbol is the new capital at St. Petersburg – Gives Russia a port on the Baltic sea • Beard shaving • Women’s freedom: 4 czarinas, women could appear in public; end of “whip” tradition; westernization of dress and permission of education

Catherine the Great- 1762 -1796 • “Enlightened despot” • Marries Peter the Great’s grandson – Coup • Absolute ruler- continues to expand Russia • Allies with nobles (gave control of peasants) to help her accomplish her goals • Lack of real reforms for serfs leads to social unrest in early modern Russia

Japan • Self-imposed isolation- did not want contact with Europeans • Civil war- 1500 s- landowning Daimyo compete for power- Hideyoshi tries to expand • Japan opposed Christianity as a disruptive influence • Samurai influence declines as govt. centralizes • Feudal system- similar to Europe, but not

Japan cont. • 1603 - Tokugawa Ieyasu establishes Tokugawa Shogunate, capital at Edo (Tokyo) • Foster economic growth • More centralized – Lords forced to live at capital • Edict forbidding practice of Christianity in 1614 • Expel all foreigners except Dutch in 1630 s • Samurai continue to lose influence, although

China • Population decreases under Mongol rulewhy? • Ming respond to Mongol rule: return to Confucianism (Neoconfucianism); restrict rights of women; isolationism • Christians (Jesuits)- Chinese wanted knowledge of European technology- elites accept Christianity as long as Christians acknowledge ancestor worship • During this period tons of precious metals, especially silver, flow into China. Exchanged

ROUTES AND MAJOR PRODUCTS EXCHANGED IN THE ASIAN TRADING NETWORK, C. 1500

Fall of the Ming • • Climate change- affects crops Disease epidemics Mongol raids Labor unrest

Qing Dynasty • After the Ming fall, in 1644, the Qing (Manchu) dynasty invade from Manchuria and gain control. They are China’s last dynasty! • They too embraced neoconfucianism • They restricted European traders to enclaves in the area around Canton in South East China. In the beginning, European traders had little influence in mainstream China…they were seen as

Manchuria

Misc. • Islam reaches a fork in the road- piety or rationalism? Piety wins out- significance? • Role of Muslim empires like Abbasids in trade falls by the wayside until western European countries regain it • Japan and Russia- Japan has limited longdistance trade; Russia is completely shut out • Laborers- had tough lives in all parts of world (not free)