The Ottomans Background

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The Ottomans - Background

• largest and most influential of the Muslim
  empires of the modern period.
• Height 16th-17th centuries
• As strong as the Islamic Empire that entered
  Spain in the 8th century.
• Established Empire over European territories
• Established Islamic traditions lasting to today
• Muslims in Bosnia are the last descendants of the
  Ottoman presence in Europe
• Ottoman Empire lasted until 20th century.

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The Ottomans - Background

• From Anatolia in the west of Turkey
• Settlers during the reign of the Seljuks in
  Turkey (1098-1308)
• Anatolian frontier was largely hostile to Islam
• Seljuks had been the first to maintain power over
  the area.
• Ruled small military state in western Anatolia by
  1300 - led by Osman (Ottoman named for him)
• Seljuk state was crumbling by this point
• By 1400 Ottomans extended influence over much of
  Anatolia and into Byzantine territory in eastern
  Europe Macedonia and Bulgaria.
• Wanted Constantinople!
• Symbol of Ottoman power, and would make them
  masters of east-west trade

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The Ottoman Turks

• 1453 Conquest of Constantinople
• Control of Eastern Mediterranean trade
• Caused Europeans to seek alternate routes to Asia
• Inspired Columbus, Vasco de Gama, all Atlantic
  explorers.
• 1600 Ottomans, Mughals, Spanish, and Portuguese
  near height of power.
• Ottomans rebuild Constantinople (became one of
  the largest cities in Europe)
• 1700 All 4 Empires in severe decline.
• Over-extension of Empire
• Warfare
• Weak state
• Lack of military technological advances
• Fall to rise of British/ French Power

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The Ottomans

• Trade with only French early on due to alliances.
• 1580 Trade opened to English, Dutch, Jews,
  Armenians, Venetians, Genoese.
• Could not handle their own finances
• like Spain, riches went into hands of foreign
  merchants.
• Imported manufactured goods
• Exported raw materials.
• Wealth Grew

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The Mughals - Background

• last powerful descendants of the Mongols
• mixture of Mongol and Turkish peoples.
• Came to power a little later than Ottomans.
• Islamic (Middle Eastern Mongol Invaders had
  converted)
• Absorbed Middle Eastern culture, especially
  Persian culture
• the Persian word for Mongol is "Mughal," from
  which we get the English word, "mogul," meaning
  "tycoon
• Began growth with 1526 invasion of India
• By 18th Century, dominated most of India

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The Mughals - Background

• Mughal conqueror, Babur the Tiger, (r. 1483 to
  1530) over a very small kingdom in Turkistan
• 1504 Conquered Afghanistan and then Part of
  India
• At the same time that Babur was expanding his
  territory -- Europeans began their slow and
  steady invasion of India
• History of the Mughal Empire is tied to the
  history of European expansion and territorial
  invasions

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The Mughals and Akbar the Great

• R. 1556 to 1605 (Same as Elizabeth I of England)
• Greatest ruler of Indian history
• Grandson of Babur the Tiger
• Became ruler at age 13
• Re-conquered lands in India and Afghanistan lost
  by his father, and expanded empire.
• Enlightened Ruler
• allowed Hindu Rajputs to keep their land and pay
  him tribute (he provided jobs in his govt and
  armies too)
• Appointed Hindus to 1/3 of govt jobs.
• 1562 banned enslaving prisoners of war forcing
  Islamic conversion
• 1563-64 abolished tax on Hindu pilgrims head
  tax on non-muslims
• Encouraged multi-faith discussions, ruled by
  divine right, court was center of fine arts,
  literature, architecture.

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Akbar the Great

• Built up the economy
• Villages joined cash economy, cities produced
  luxury goods
• Indian Cities wealthy business financiers
  Guilds (like in Europe)
• Merchants constantly moved to the safest cities -
  very mobile. Kept wealth flowing.
• Merchants did coastal and ocean-going trade, but
  without govt support.
• No Navy!
• 1686 British block trade between India and SE
  Asia
• Seized ships of Mughal officers and rulers.
• Mughals kicked British out of settlement at
  Hoogly, but English just relocated to Calcutta
• British Merchants out did Indian ones with
  Joint-Stock Co.

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China

• 1211 Genghis Khan conquered China.
• 1271-1368 Descendants established Yuan dynasty
• Ming Dynasty
• 1368 Ming Dynasty drove Yuan out and ruled until
  1644.

• Turned energies inward to consolidate power and
  focused on internal improvements.
• Rebuilt Great Wall of China Grand Canal
• Govt turned their backs on the Oceans and Seas
• Private shipping was also slowed down
  eventually stopped.
• Smuggling continued into 15th century despite
  govt actions to stop it
• Govt limited contact with foreigners.
• Chinese society became introverted.
• Military technology stagnated.
• Caused China to be Vulnerable.

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Ming China

• 1514 few Portuguese Jesuit missionaries allowed
  into China.
• Only exchange of ideas between East and West
• By 1700 300,000 Chinese converted to
  Christianity.
• Despite shutdown of most international trade,
  Chinas economy grew until 1600.
• Late Ming Private sea trade with SE Asia began
  again
• regulated by Chinese authorities.
• Very Successful - if supported by Chinese
  government might have built vast overseas
  empires too.
• Merchants got rich - Govt did not.
• When Europeans came to trade
• restricted to coastal enclaves
• By 1600s when Dutch British arrived, Ming had
  weakened internally.
• Mandate of Heaven passed the Qing (Manchus from
  north of Great Wall who captured China in 1644)

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Qing Dynasty China

• Established Canton System
• restricted European traders to area around Canton
  (Guangdong province)

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Qing Dynasty China

• Due to restrictions and the large size of China,
  European merchants had little effect on China.