2: Muslim Empires in Europe, Asia, and Africa - 1500 - 1600
- Page ID
- 282735
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Examine the key role that Muslim empires played in the global economy
- Analyze differences and similarities among the Muslim empires
- Identify key political and social structures of the Muslim empires
- How was religion an important feature of the government of the Muslim empires?
- What were the significant economic characteristics of the Muslim empires?
Introduction
During 1400-1600, Muslim empires were at their height in Asia and Africa. This chapter examines these regions and aims to identify the roles of the Muslim empires in the development of this new world order. These empires were key drivers of cultural, social, political, and economic change in the early modern world. By connecting millions of people under centralized rule, they established much of the foundation upon which the modern world would be built. These empires along with the Chinese Ming and Qing were considered land-based empires. Their focus was primarily on agriculture which the government relied on for taxation. Expansion tended to be by land along a frontier. Therefore, these governments built up their army rather than navy.
The basis for power globally at this time was the dynasty which was a ruling family that claimed power as a calling from above. In China it was the mandate from heaven and European kings claimed divine right. In the Muslim empires, rulers sought to be protectors of their religion and would fund the construction of mosques. Governments also established their legitimacy by using military prowess and a loyal bureaucracy to govern.
- 2.1: Gunpowder Empires
- The 1500s saw the Golden Ages of three major Turkish Muslim empires, by many definitions, including in art, architecture, politics, trade, and invention. Although the Turks dominated the governments of these empires, Arabs and Persians made of the majority of the Muslim population. For the most part, Arabic was a religious language, Turkish was used for government and law, and Persian was often used for philosophy and art.
- 2.2: The Ottoman Empire
- This section focuses on the Ottoman Empire whose territory was spread throughout three continents and included countless ethnic groups and a diverse array of languages. The Ottoman Turks were Sunni Muslim, but there was a significant Shi’a minority under its rule.
- 2.3: Safavid Empire
- The Safavid Empire was a close contemporary of the Ottoman Empire, and while there are significant differences between the two, these empires also went through some of the same broad trends. This section looks specifically at the Safavid Persian Empire from its start in the early sixteenth century up to its height during the reign of its king or shah, Abbas I. It focuses the cultural and economic policies of the government.
- 2.4: The Mughal Empire
- At their peak in the first half of the sixteenth century, the Mughals were perhaps the richest and most powerful regime of the Muslim empires. This section examines the rise and expansion of the Mughal Empire during the 1500s. It looks at the political and economic structures as well as the religious policies of the government.
- 2.5: Swahili City States
- The east coast of Africa was home to wealthy Sunni Muslim city-states that engaged in oceanic trade with the Arabian Peninsula, India, and places farther east. The African ports on the Indian Ocean connected Africa to South and East Asia. These city-states produced some of the world’s most desirable products available to people on three continents. During the 1400s and early 1500s, the city of Kilwa emerged as a dominant power that controlled much of the east coast of Africa.
- 2.6: West African Land Based Empires
- As we move closer to 1500 there were also several important developments across western sub-Saharan Africa in terms of state-building. What we see is the transition to a succession of Muslim empires that would come to play a major role in global trade while also becoming new frontiers in the growth of the Islamic World.
- 2.8: Chapter Summary and Key Terms
- By 1500, Muslim empires played a very prominent rule across the Eastern Hemisphere. These land-based empires facilitated global economic integration and established large areas of peace and stabilty,
Thumbnail: Adventures of Akabar, Byam Shaw, in the Public Domain.