3.1 Empires Expand

3.1 Empires Expand

AP World History

How did certain land-based empires develop and expand in the period from 1540-1750?

Essential Question

Thematic Focus

A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes. 

Use of gunpowder spread via the trade routes and became a powerful source of change from 1450 to 1750. Gunpowder empires refer to large, multiethnic states in Southwest, Central, and South Asia that relied on firearms to conquer and control territories. These empires tended to be militaristic yet art and architecture flourished as it reflected legitimacy of its rulers.

Europe

• Mid-1400s saw the end of plagues, conclusion of the Hundred year's War, and the invention of Gutenberg's printing press.

• Several countries in Europe were becoming powerful, wealthy nations: overseas explorations and establish colonies around the world, centralize power by controlling taxes, army and religion.

• Examples: Tudors of England, Valois in France, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand in Spain.

Russia

• Russia was in a pivotal position for trade while it remained tightly linked to Europe.

• Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) ruled, 1547-1584 expanded the Russian border eastward through the use of gunpowder.

• Ivan utilized the Cossacks to fight local tribes and the Siberian khan to control the Volga River which flows into the Caspian Sea.

• Continued moving east into Siberia, Pacific Ocean, Alaska, and California through fur traders and militias.

Islamic Gunpowder Empires Similarities

• They descended form Turkic nomads who once lived in Central Asia.

• They spoke a Turkic language.

• They took advantage of power vacuums left by the breakup of Mongol khanates.

• They relied on gunpowder weapons, such as artillery and cannons.

Tamerlane

• Set the stage for the rise of the Turkic empires as he successfully conquered Persia and parts of India.

• Ghazi idea - a model warrior life that blended the values of nomadic culture and willingness to fight for Islam.

• The pattern of Timur's conquests marked by violence resulted in new dynasties: Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals.

• His rule promoted learning and the arts.

Ottoman Empire

• The largest and most enduring of the great Islamic empires, 1300s to 1918.

• Mehmed - established the empire's capital at Constantinople (former Byzantine Empire) in 1453. Seized lands around the western edge of the Black sea, Balkans, the Adriatic Sea, and parts of Italy.

• Suleiman I - attacked territories as far as Vienna and Rhodes. Occupied Tripoli in North Africa.

East Asia

• Ming stabilize the East Asian region for nearly 300 years before they were replaced by the Qing (1644-1911)

• Emperor Kangxi - presided over a long period of stability and expansion into Taiwan, Mongolia, Central Asia, and Tibet.

• Emperor Qianlong - initiated military campaigns (with mass killings) to parts of Xinjiang with local muslim population called the Uighurs.

• Conflict with the West - Qing limited European trading privileges

The Safavids

• Ismail - conquered Persia and Iraq, and proclaimed himself shah (king or emperor); relied on land-based military and strong leadership despite the lack of navy and natural defense.

• Shah Abbas I - ruled the empire at its height. Relied on importing weaponry from Europe. He used Shi'a as a unifying force; conflicts with the Sunni Ottomans over the control of overland trade

• Women: permitted to participate in their societies, veiled and restricted movements, and with inheritance and divorce rights.

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Mughal India

• Babur - a descendant of Timur founded the 3000-year dynasty.

• Akbar - Babur's grandson, achieved grand religious and political goals.

• One of the richest and best-governed states in the world; traded textiles, spices, and precious stones through the merchant castes that were allowed to participate in banking and production of handicrafts

Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires declined as Western Europe grew in strength economically and militarily -- particularly in terms of sea power. Islamic empires did not modernize resulting to their disintegration.

Decline of Ottoman Empire

In 1571, after Suleiman's death, a European force made up mostly of Spaniards and Venetians defeated the Ottomans in a great naval conflict known as the Battle of Lepanto.

The empire later became known as the Sick Man of Europe as Suleiman's successors held hostage to "harem politics" where women became powerful behind the scenes.

Other notable events: failed Siege of Vienna in 1683, British and French involvement in the Ottoman territories, Greece's independence in 1821, Russian expansion in the 19th century.

Safavid Decline

Ineffectual leaders who followed Shah Abbas combined lavish lifestyles and military spending with falling revenues, resulting in a weakened economy.

In 1722, Sunni Pashtuns staged a rebellion and their leaders, Mahmud, declared himself Shah of Persia.

Taking advantage of the weakened Safavids, the Ottomans and the Russians were able to seize territories. The Safavid Dynasty declined rapidly until it was replaced by the Zand Dynasty in 1760.

Safavid Decline

Shah Jahan's son and successor, Aurangzeb (ruled 1658-1707), inherited an empire weakened by corruption and failure to keep up with the military innovations of external enemies.

Aurangzeb wanted to rid the empire of its Hindu influences. He drained the empire's treasury and was unable to put down peasant uprisings.

There were revolts among Hindu and Islamic princes. The empire grew increasingly unstable after his death allowing Britain and France to gain more economic power in India.

REVIEW

Multiple Choice

Which would be the most useful Source of evidence to support McNeill's contention that "the Safavi [Safavid] empire remained a profoundly disturbing force in the Moslem [Muslim] world"?

• writing by Safavids about Shi'a beliefs

• writings by modern-day Muslim historians

• writings by Ottoman religious leaders of that time about the Safavids

• writings by archaeologists about discoveries of Safavid and Ottoman religious relics

Multiple Choice

Today, Iran and Turkey are often political rivals. This passage suggests that this rvalry is based on historical conflicts over

• democracy and political extremism

• control of land and natural resources

• the role of leaders such as the shah and emperor

• how to practice Islam correctly

Multiple Choice

What brought an end to the "normal state of hostility" between the Safavids and Ottomans mentioned in the passage?

• Safavid fervor for its brand of Islam slowly declined until the two empires stopped fighting.

• The constant fighting increased the respect of the empires for each other, which eventually led to peace between them.

• Both sided united to fight against European Christian forces that threatened them.

• The Ottomans slowly gained greater power and were able to stop the agitation by the Safavids.