New Asian Empire Section 1

New Asian Empire Section 1

The Ottoman and Safavid Empires

Preview
• Starting Points Map: Asian Empires
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• The Ottoman Empire
• Faces of History: Suleyman
• Map: The Ottoman Empire
• The Safavid Empire
• Map: The Safavid Empire
New Asian Empire Section 1
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New Asian Empire Section 1

The Ottoman and Safavid Empires

Main Idea
The Ottoman and Safavid empires flourished under powerful
rulers who expanded the territory and cultural influence of their
empires.

Reading Focus
• How did the Ottomans build a powerful empire, and what were
their cultural achievements?
• How was the Safavid Empire founded and enlarged, and what
cultural elements did it combine?
New Asian Empire Section 1

The Ottoman Empire

Mongol conquests of the 1200s ripped apart the Seljuk Turk empire.
Small, independent Turkish states formed in the region.
In the late 1200s, a great chieftain arose from one of the states and
went on to found the powerful Ottoman Empire.
Growth of the Empire Ottomans
• Early 1300s, Anatolia bordered by • Nomadic people, ghazis, “warriors
declining Christian Byzantine for the Islam faith”
Empire to west, Muslim empires to
• Ghazi leader Osman I had built
east; to north, Russia
strong state in Anatolia by 1300
• Turks of Anatolia mainly Muslim,
• Osman, descendants came to be
nomadic, militaristic society
known as Ottomans to Westerners

Their power grew quickly, and by the mid-1300s the Ottomans

controlled much of Anatolia.
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Sultans
Expanding Empire
• Osman’s son, Orhan I, became
second Ottoman ruler; declared
himself sultan, Arabic for “ruler”
• Under Orhan, later sultans,
Ottoman forces swept into
Balkans, attacked Byzantine
Empire
• 1361, took Adrianople, second
most important Byzantine city;
renamed Edirne, made it capital
• By early 1400s, Ottomans
controlled much of Balkan
Peninsula
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Military Might
• Military key to Ottoman success
• Ottomans enslaved Christian
boys from conquered areas
• Boys converted to Islam, trained
as elite soldiers, Janissaries;
loyal only to sultan
• Practice called blood tax by many
Christians
• Ottomans also adopted
gunpowder weapons
• Now possible to take cities
defended by heavy walls
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Invasion and Decline

• Despite strong military, Ottomans experienced

setback
• Central Asian conqueror Timur attacked
– Because of leg injury, known as Timur the Lame; in Europe,
Tamerlane
– In 1402 army crushed Ottoman forces at Battle of Ankara
• Timur soon withdrew
– Ottoman empire left in shambles
– Ruler dead
– Bloody power struggle followed, weakened empire
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Fall of Constantinople
Expansion period
• Following period of decline, spectacular phase of expansion began
• Mid-1400s, reign of Mehmed II, strong military leader
• Mehmed II determined to take Constantinople, Byzantine capital

Bosporus Strait
• Ottomans had captured lands around Constantinople, but not city itself
• Constantinople controlled Bosporus Strait, trade route between Asia, Europe
• Control of waterway provided great wealth, divided Ottoman Empire

Mehmed the Conqueror

• 1453, Ottomans led major land, sea assault against Constantinople
• Used massive cannons to batter city’s walls; city fell after two month siege
• Byzantine Empire no longer existed; Mehmed became known as “the
Conqueror;” claimed center of eastern Christianity for Islam
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Pillaging the City

• Mehmed made Constantinople his capital, named Istanbul
• Allowed soldiers to pillage city for three days
• Many residents killed or enslaved
• Then rebuilt Constantinople into Muslim city

Rebuilding the City

• Mehmed had palaces, mosques built
• Turned Hagia Sophia, Orthodox Christian cathedral, into mosque
• Moved people from across empire to repopulate city
• Soon city again major trade center with people of many cultures
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Height of the Empire

Expansion and Threats Suleyman the Lawgiver
• Expansion continued • During Suleyman’s forty-six year
reign, Ottoman forces pushed
• Met new threat in Persia—the
through Hungary up to Vienna
Safavid Empire
• Navy gained control of eastern
• In 1514 Ottoman forces crushed
Mediterranean, North African
Safavids at Battle of Chaldiran
coast
• Next swept through Syrian, into
• Impressive domestic
Egypt in North Africa
achievements
• Soon after captured Mecca,
• Reformed tax system, overhauled
Medina, holy cities of Islam
government bureaucracy,
• Empire reached height under improved court system, legal code
Suleyman I, known in West as
Suleyman “the Magnificent”
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New Asian Empire Section 1

Society and Culture

Rule of Sultans
• Ottoman sultan ruled over vast, diverse empire; had immense power, issued
all laws, made all major decisions
• Numerous officials advised sultan—considered his slaves; had to be loyal to
sultan, practice Islam, follow Ottoman customs

Classes
• Privileged ruling class one of two classes—second class, everyone else
• Included people of many cultures, languages, religions
• Ottomans governed diverse subjects with tolerance

Religious Freedom
• Non-Muslims had to pay heavy taxes, endure restrictions; did not have to
serve in military—Muslims had to join military, but did not pay taxes
• Religious freedom allowed; some groups required to form millets, or religious
communities; each millet followed own laws, chose own leaders
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Rich Culture
Great Buildings
• Mixing of peoples created rich
Ottoman culture, reached peak
under Suleyman
• Magnificent mosques, palaces,
many with Byzantine influence
Empire’s Decline
• After Suleyman’s reign, empire
declined
• One cause was method of
dealing with heirs
• New sultans killed brothers to
eliminate rivals until 1600s
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Mosque of Suleyman
• Sinan, master designer of
Mosque of Suleyman, Istanbul
• Graceful solution of problem of
combining round dome,
rectangular building
Inexperienced Sultans
• Heirs locked in royal palace;
released to become sultan but
had no experience
• Despite periodic reform efforts,
series of weak sultans resulted
• Empire lasted to early 1900s
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New Asian Empire Section 1

Analyze

Why is Suleyman’s reign considered the

height of the Ottoman Empire?

Answer(s): because Suleyman expanded the

empire, built bridges and mosques, and reformed
the administration and laws of the empire
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The Safavid Empire

East of the Ottomans, Persian Muslims called the Safavids began building an
empire around 1500. The Safavids soon came into conflict with the Ottomans
and other Muslims. The conflict related to Islam’s split into rival Sunni and
Shia sects. The Safavids were Shia; most other Muslims were Sunnis.
Growth of the Empire Official Religion Persian Tradition
• 14-year old Esma’il, • Gained control of • Sunnis majority in
founder of Safavid what is now Iran, part empire
Empire of Iraq
• Blending of Shia
• Father died fighting • Took Persian title of religion, Persian
Sunni Muslims shah, “king” of tradition gave Safavid
Safavid Empire state unique identity
• 1501, took up sword,
joined by father’s • Made Shiism official • Laid foundation for
supporters, led army religion national culture of
in Persian conquests present day Iran
• Advisers concerned
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Esma’il and Shiism

• Shiism sharply distinguished Safavid state from Sunni neighbors,
notably Ottomans to west, Uzbeks to northeast
• Esma’il dreamed of converting all Sunnis to Shiism
• Battled Uzbeks with some success; suffered crushing defeat by
Ottomans in Battle of Chaldiran, 1514
• Safavid army no match for Ottomans’ superior gunpowder weapons

‘Abbas Ottoman Model

• 1524, Esma’il died; later shahs
struggled to keep empire together
• 1588, greatest Safavid leader,
‘Abbas became shah
• Reformed government,
strengthened military, acquired
modern gunpowder weapons
• Copied Ottoman model, had slave
youths captured in Russia trained
to be soldiers
• Under ‘Abbas, Safavids defeated
Uzbeks, gained back land lost to
Ottomans
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Culture and Economy

Golden Age
• ‘Abbas’ achievements produced golden age in Safavid culture
• Brought in Chinese potters to improve quality of glazed tile, ceramics
• Safavids created public spaces with graceful arches, lush gardens
• Colorful tiles, domes decorated mosques
• During 1600s capital of Esfahan one of world’s magnificent cities
Major Muslim Civilization
• Culture helped economy; ‘Abbas encouraged traditional products
• Hand-woven Persian carpets became important industry, export
• Trade goods brought wealth, helped establish Safavid Empire as
major Muslim civilization
• Safavid Empire lasted until 1722
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New Asian Empire Section 1

Compare and Contrast

How were the achievements of Esma’il and

‘Abbas similar, and how were they
different?

Answer(s): Both leaders focused on military.

'Abbas had more success in battle because he
acquired gunpowder weapons.