The Muslim World Expands

Chapter 2

In Book – Ch. 2 pages 70-87

The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire

Osman – the most successful ghazis (1300-1326)

◦AKA – Othman◦Followers – Ottomans

Ghazis – warrior for Islam, military society, strict Islamic code, raided territories belonging to “infidels”

Built small Muslim state in Anatolia & his successors expanded through military action

Orkhan I – Osman’s son & 2nd ruler (1361)

◦Declared himself “sultan” ◦Muslims required to serve in Turkish army – no tax◦Non-Muslims no military, but had to pay the tax

Timur the Lame ◦Named for permanent injury to his leg◦Burned down Baghdad to the ground◦Crushed the Ottoman army & halted the

Empire’s expansion in 1402 ◦Went after China & war began between the

4 sons of Ottoman’s Sultan

Mehmed II ~ AKA Mehmed the Conqueror◦Constantinople controlled Bosporus Strait ◦Attacked Constantinople to gain control◦Won territory & opened area to all religions

Now called Istanbul

Suleyman the Lawgiver

Selim’s sonConquered Belgrade, Island of

Rhodes, & dominated the entire eastern Mediterranean

Moved onto Northern Africa with Tripoli & controlled trade routes throughout Africa

Also moved into Hungary & the outskirts of Vienna, Austria

Became the most powerful monarch on Earth by 1526

Created law code to handle criminal & civil actions

Simplified taxation & reduced gov’t bureaucracy

Devshirme System…◦Drafted boys from conquered Christian

territories◦Educated them & converted them to

Islam◦Trained them as soldiers

Janissaries◦30,000 strong◦Loyal only to the sultan

He followed Islamic Law…◦Granted freedom of worship to other

communities (millets) under his control ◦Follow own religious law & practices ◦Head of millets reported to the sultan

Architecture, art, literature, etc. flourished during his rule

Similar to the European Renaissance

◦He killed his most able sons & his 3rd son inherited the throne

◦Became customary for the new sultan to kill his brothers, keep sons prisoners away from the outside world – result: weak sultans who ruined the empire

Cultural Blending

Cultures interacting with each otherMixing of different cultures

Safavid Empire – Muslim dynasty ruled in Persia between 16th – 18th centuries◦Persians◦Ottomans◦Arabs

Reasons for Cultural Change…◦Migration

◦Pursuit of religious freedom or conversion

◦Trade

◦Conquest Lead to changes in…

Language Religion Government Technology Military Tactics Art & Architecture Ethnic Blending

Safavids Build an Empire

Built a very powerful army

Isma’il – at 12 years old, took 2 years to conquered present day Iran◦Took the ancient Persian title of Shah

(king)◦Became religious tyrant

◦His son Tahmasp expanded empire to the Caucasus Mountains, northeast of Turkey

Shah Abbas

AKA ~ Abbas the GreatCreated the Golden Age of the EmpireLimited military power & created 2

new armiesBuilt new capital at Esfahan,

considered to be the most beautiful city in the world

Brought in Chinese artisans to decorate the mosques, palaces, etc.

Demand for Persian carpets rose & he sent artist to Italy to study under Renaissance artist

Dynasty Ends

Shah Abbas killed &/or blinded his ablest sons, incompetent grandson (Safi) succeeded him

Empire quickly declined & with the death of Shah Nadir in 1747 the Empire fell apart

Mughal Empire, IndiaMughals…

◦Descendants of Timur the Lame & Genghis Khan

◦Term means “Mongols”◦Delhi was capital

Babur …◦Inherited kingdom at 11 years old◦In today’s Uzbekistan & Tajikistand◦Brilliant general ◦His son, Humayun, took over & lost almost

all land◦Grandson then took over at age 13, Akbar

Akbar “Greatest One”

Had great military & political wisdomWas able to unify at least 100 million

peopleMuslim, but defended religious

freedomAbolished taxes on non-MuslimsPut in place a graduated income tax

based upon a % the crop’s valueWelcomed influences from many

culturesHis son Jahangir was his successor

◦“Grasper of the World”

Shah Jahan

Jahangir’s son & successorPassion for 2 things…

◦Beautiful buildings◦His third wife Mumtaz Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal died at the age of 39 while giving birth to their 14th child

He then built a tomb/memorial for her out of white marble & jewels – Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal located in Agra, India name Taj Mahal means “crown of palaces”Construction took 22 years, 1631 to 1653

◦20,000 workers◦more than 1,000 elephants ◦many as 28 different varieties of semi-precious

and precious stones were used stones were ripped off from its walls by the British

during the Indian rebellion of 1857

◦made of white marbledome that is often called an ‘onion dome’

due to its shapecomplex includes a large garden, a reflecting

pool, a mosque and other mausoleums

Inside the Taj MahalMuslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration

of gravesBoth bodies were put in a relatively plain

crypt beneath the inner chamber with their faces turned right and towards Mecca

Mumtaz Mahal's cenotaph is placed at the precise center of the inner chamber on a rectangular marble base

Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side, and is the only visible asymmetric element in the entire complex. ◦His cenotaph is bigger than his wife's, but reflects

the same elements: a larger casket on a slightly taller base

Empire’s DecayEmpire had drained all resources by

the end of Aurangzeb’s rule (Shah Jahan’s 3rd son)◦Famine◦War◦No loyalty to him & his sons fought wars

of succession after his death

Western traders started to move into the Mughal Empire & started taking over