Gunpowder Empires: 1450-1750

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Gunpowder Empires 1450-1750
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Land- Based Gunpowder Empires Examples

• Ottomans (Anatolia, N. Africa, Middle East, E.
  Europe)
• Safavids (Persia)
• Mughals (Afghanistan, Pakistan, N. India)
• Qing China
• Russian Empire
• Tokugawa Japan

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Characteristics

• Land-based (unlike sea-faring powers in Europe)
• Cost of militaries increased centralization
• Land-grant military systems
• Reliance on infantry, not cavalry

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Islamic Flowering Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal

• Vast, diverse Muslim world viewed themselves as
  self-sufficient offering more to the world than
  others offered them
• Flowering of culture as in the Abbasid era
• Suleyman the Magnificent (Ottoman) Abbas I the
  Great (Safavid) Akbar (Mughal)
• Coffeehouses popular place for cultural life

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Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul
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Tiled Mosque, Isfahan
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Persian Rug, 1539
Modern Version, pictured below
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Taj Mahal, mausoleum for Shah Jahans wife, 1648
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Common Problems

• TOO BIG (transportation communication issues)
• Nomadic heritage led to unruly warrior elites
• Rise of European rivals
• Europe small states, strong rivalries
  competition, technologies weapons developed
  more rapidly trade routes moved to ocean routes
  controlled by Europe

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Long-term consequences

• Ottoman, Safavid, Muhgal Empires came from
  Turkish, nomadic roots BUT
• Central Asian nomadic threats ended w/ gunpowder
  conquered and subjugated

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Discussion!

• 1. Of the previous Sultans, there were many who
  ruled the land, but few who ruled the sea. In the
  conduct of war at sea, the infidels are superior
  to us. We must overcome them.
• Suleyman the Magnificents Grand Vizir
• Why do you think Muslim empires didnt adequately
  meet the challenges faced from Europe, and fell
  in power as Europe rose?

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• 2. Create a T-chart with the headings Land Powers
  and Sea Powers. List at least 6 qualities of
  each type of power underneath.

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• 3. Why do you think, long term, that sea power
  was more effective than land-based empires?