CHAPTER 21: THE MUSLIM EMPIRES

Ottomans: Turkic people who advanced from strongholds in Asia Minor during 1350s
Unified under Mehmed I
Established empire from Balkans that included most of Arab world
Ottoman Empire: Turkic empire established in Asia Minor and eventually extending throughout the Middle East
Responsible for conquest of Constantinople and end of Byzantine Empire in 1453
Succeeded by Seljuk Turks following retreat of Mongols
Mehmed II: Ottoman sultan called the "Conqueror"
Captured Constantinople in 1453 and destroyed what remained of the Byzantine Empire.
Janissaries: Forcibly conscripted youths from conquered Balkan areas who were trained as Ottoman infantry divisions
They became an important political influence after the 15 th century
vizier: Ottoman equivalent of the Abbasid wazir
Head of the Ottoman bureaucracy
After the 15th century often more powerful than the Sultan
Suleiman I: (Suleyman) Also known as Suleiman the Lawgiver or Suleiman the Magnificent
Greatest of Ottoman rulers who was responsible for taking Belgrade in 1521, yet stopped at Vienna in 1525
He studied poetry, history, geography, astronomy, mathematics, and architecture
Art and literature flourished under his reign
Suleymaniye mosque: Great mosque built in Constantinople during the 16 th century reign of Suleyman I
Safavid dynasty: Originally a Turkic nomadic group whose family originated in the Sufi mystic group
They came to espouse Shi'ism and established a kingdom in modern-day Iran, which lasted until 1722
Safi al-Din: Sufi mystic and first ruler of the Safavid dynasty
Red Heads: Name given to Safavid followers because of their distinctive red headgear
Isma'il: Sufi commander who conquered the city of Tabriz in 1501
He was the first Safavid to be proclaimed shah or emperor
Chaldiran: Important battle between the Safavids and Ottomans in 1514
Ottoman victory demonstrated the importance of firearms and checked western advance of their Shi'a state
Abbas I (Great): Safavid shah (1587-1629) who extended the emp to its greatest extent and used W military technology
Created slave regiments based on captured Russians, who monopolized firearms within Safavid armies
imams: Shi'a religious leaders who traced their descent to Ali's successors
mullahs: Local mosque officials and prayer leaders within the Safavid Empire
Agents of Safavid religious campaign to convert all of population to Shi'ism
Isfahan: Safavid capital under Abbas the Great
Planned city laid out according to shahs plan, which is an example of Safavid architecture
Mughal Empire: Established by Turkic invaders, specifically Babur, in 1526
The name is taken from the supposed Mongol descent of Babur, but there is little indication of any
Mongol influence in the dynasty.
It became weak after the rule of Aurangzeb in first decades of 18 th century
Nadir Khan Afshar: Soldier-adventurer following fall of Safavid dynasty in 1722
Proclaimed himself shah in 1736 and established a short-lived dynasty in a reduced kingdom
Babur: Turkic leader who founded Mughal dynasty in India in 1526. He died in 1530.

Humayan: Son and successor of Babur

He was expelled from India in 1540, but returned to restore the dynasty in 1556.
Akbar: Son and successor of Humayan
He oversaw building of military and administrative systems that became typical of Mughal rule in India
He pursued a policy of cooperation with Hindu princes
He attempted to create a new religion to bind the Muslim and Hindu populations of India
Din-i-Ilahi: This religion initiated by Akbar, which blended elements of Islam and Hinduism, did not survive his death
His hope of achieving cooperation amongst these two faiths failed
Sati: Ritual burning of high-caste Hindu women on their husband's funeral pyres
Taj Mahal: Mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, built by her husband Shah Jahan
It is the most famous architectural achievement of Mughal India
Nur Jahan: Wife of ruler Jahangir who amassed power at the Mughal court and created a faction of male relatives who
dominated the empire during the later years of Jahangirs reign
Mumtaz Mahal: Wife of Shah Jahan who took an active political role in the Mughal court
She is entombed in the Taj Mahal
Marattas: Western Indian peoples who rebelled against Mughal control early in the 18 th century
Sikhs: Sect in northwest India
Early leaders tried to bridge differences bet Hindu and Muslim, but Mughal persecution led to anti-Muslim feeling
Aurangzeb: Son and successor of Shah Jahan who was determined to extend Mughal control over whole subcontinent
He wished to purify Islam of Hindu influences
However, incessant warfare exhausted the empire despite his military successes
The empire continued its decline after his death in 1707