Ottoman Empire Chart Answers The Ottoman Empire 1600
- Slides: 8
Ottoman Empire Chart Answers
The Ottoman Empire (1600)
Military • Powerful cannons • Janissaries were the best infantry (foot soldiers) in the world at the time • Powerful sultan (leader) expanded borders and conquered large areas
Cultural • Turks were Sunni Muslims and were dominant • claimed to be the center of the Islamic World (controlled Mecca and Medina) • Turks were tolerant of most other religions and minorities • Changed name of the capital from Constantinople to Istanbul
Political • Strong legal code was based upon Islamic law • Centralized government • Government appointed governors ruled over conquered territories • Efficient civil service (government workers) • Civil service was based upon merit (prove that you can do the job and not who your family is)
Economic • Controlled trade routes between Europe and Asia • Held and controlled excellent agricultural lands • Farmers and business people paid taxes • Business and trading were important
Social • Strict division of society into classes • Earlier tolerant of different religions and minorities • Christian slaves were converted to Islam and served in the government and military • Persecuted Shia or Shiite Muslims
Reasons for Decline • Many military failures • Weak and corrupt sultans • Lost control of the trade routes • Refused to modernize • Tolerance for other minorities and religions ended • Lost military control of territories
