The+Islamic+Empires+-+Imperial+Society+(762-769)

=The Islamic Empires - Imperial Society (762-769)= · There were striking similarities in the development of Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal societies. · They all relied on bureaucracies that drew inspirations from the steppe traditions of Turkish and Mongol peoples as well as from the heritage of Islam. · Rulers of all the empires also sought to enhance the legitimacy of their regimes by providing for public welfare and associating themselves with literary and artistic talent.
 * Imperial Islamic Society **[[image:1b.jpg width="190" height="289" align="right" caption="This Islamic Citizen holds the very popular drink, coffee. It was introduced in the 16th century, and eventually became vastly popular that Coffee Houses were established. (MA)"]]

· In theory, the emperors owned all land and granted use of it to peasant families on a hereditary basis in return for the payment of fixed taxes. - Revenue from crown lands funded the military and administrative officials. (SN) - Rulers had personal command over their armies, had the power to add/remove officers at will, and created whatever policies they wished. (JL) //__ The Emperors and Islam __// · The prestige and authority of the dynasty derived from the personal piety and the military prowess of the ruler and his ancestors. · The Safavids were prominent leaders of a Sufi religious order, and the Ottomans and Mughals associated closely with famous Sufis. · The //ghazi// ideal of spreading Islam by fighting infidels or heretics resonated with the traditions of Turkish and Mongolian peoples.
 * __ The Dynastic State [[image:http://www.co-ventures.com/images/Suleyman_young.jpg width="164" height="239" align="right" caption="Suleyman: Sometimes referred to as "Suleyman The Mangnificent" was an Ottoman Sultan who expanded Ottoman empire (Revisions MA)"]] __** · The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires were all military creations, regarded by their rulers as their personal possessions by right of conquest. 

//__ Steppe Traditions __// · The autocratic authority wielded by the rulers of the Islamic empires also reflected steppe traditions. · The Ottoman sultans unilaterally issued numerous legal edicts, the greatest of these were //kanun (laws)// issued by Suleyman. · Steppe practices brought succession problems. · In the steppe empires the ruler’s relatives often managed components of the states, and succession to the throne became a hot contest between competing members of the family. · Empires engaged in murderous struggles for the throne. · After the 15th century the sultans moved to protect their position by eliminating family rivals. · Sultans also confined their sons in special quarters of the imperial harem and forbade them to go outside except to take the throne.

//__ Women and Politics __// · Women played important roles in managing the Islamic empires. · In Islamic empires the ruler’s mother and his chief wife or favorite concubine enjoyed special privileges and authority. · Women played prominent political roles in the Safavid and Mughal empires regardless of the strong male dominance (SN) · One of the women, Hurrem (also known as Roxelana), took advantage of Suleyman to execute his eldest son for treason when Hurrem wanted him eliminated to secure the succession of her own child. - Hurrem Sultana was elevated to status of legal wife, Suleyman often consulted her on state policies, and deferred to her judgment. After Hurrem’s death, Suleyman constructed a mausoleum for her next to his own in Istanbul. (SN) (TK)

Agriculture and Trade - Productive agricultural economies were the foundations of all the Islamic empires. - Every empire had its own surplus of agricultural production and it was used to finance armies and bureraucracies. - Mostly, the empires relied on wheat and rice that had flourished for centuries in the land. - The Colombian exchange brought American crops to all the Islamic empires. - Europeans brought maize, potatoes, tomatoes, and other crops to Islamic empires. - The new crops were soon introduced into the native cuisine. -The Colombian exchange encouraged consumption of coffee and tobacco. - By the 18th century American producers and European merchants supplied Muslim markets with coffee and sugar. - Merchants introduced tobacco around 1600, and used it for medicinal purposes. - The increase of pipe smoking and drinking coffee introduced the establishment of coffeehouses. - The popularity of coffeehouses provoked protests from moralists who worried these habits were dens in iniquity. - Pechevi showed people the discustingness and dangers of smoking, while religious leaders claimed that coffee was an illegal beverage. - Sultan Murad IV outlawed coffee and tobacco and executed those who used them. - Both pastimes eventually won acceptance and the coffeehouse became a prominent social institution in the Islamic empires. - American food crops had less demographic effect in the Islamic empires than in other parts of the world. - India’s rapid population growth was due mainly to more intensive agriculture along traditional lines. - The Savafid population grew less rapidly. - Ottomans population grew mainly from its enlarged boundaries. But declined after 1600. - The Islamic empire ruled lands that were prominent in long-distance trade. - The Ottoman empire’s capital, Bursa, was also a terminus of a caravan route that brought raw silk. - The Ottomans granted special trading concessions to merchants from England and France to cement alliances against common enemies in Spain and central Europe. - Aleppo became an emporium for spice trade. - Shah Abbas promoted Ifashan to a commercial center. - The English East India Company, the French East India Company, and the Dutch VOC all traded actively with the Safavids. - The English company sent military help to the Safavids. - Mughal rulers concentrated on their land and empire and had little interest in maritime affairs. - The Mughal treasury still derived significant income from foreign trade. - The Mughals allowed the creation of trading stations and merchant colonies. -Indian merchants created trading companies of their own, traveling as far as Russia, and sailed the waters of the Indian Ocean. (CW) (revisions and additions, DA)

__**Religious affairs in the Islamic Empires**__ Citizens worried about loosing their religious identity so they kept the Islamic state based on islamic law. Aurangzeb reached the troan in 1659 and reinstated jizya and promoted Islam the official religion of Mughal India. (BE) __Cultural Patronage of the Islamic Emperors__ 1. Islamic rulers planned to enhance their reputations by building mosques, government buildings, bridges, schools, hospitals, and soup kitchens for the poor. They also competed for the best scholars, poets, artists, and architects to come to their courts. 2.Capital cities and royal palaces were most prominent displays of imperial majesty. One of the most celebrated monuments in Istanbul, Suleymaniye, is a relious complex built for Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. 3. Isfahan, Shah Abba’s capital, is known as the queen of Persian cities and it’s still boasted about even today for its markets, the palace, and religious structures. Although it was smaller than other cities, it had an emphasis on visibility and accessibility, qualities needed in an important city. 4. Mughals developed a style of work that blended central Asian traditions with elements of Hindu architecture. Their creations of mosques, fortresses, and palaces were sometimes the centers of cities. Originally, their capital was wherever the ruler was camping, but they soon sponsored urban development. 5. Fatehpur Sikri, a city constructed by Akbar, demonstrated his strength and imperial ambitions as it represented his conquest of Gujarat. It contained a mint, records office, treasury, and audience hall. However, the city was later abandoned due to poor water supply. 6. The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous Muhgal monuments. Shah Jahan spent eighteen years constructing the mosque and tomb in honor of his wife, until his son deposed him before he could build a similar black marble mosque for himself. (BD) (Revisions KR) [additions, TS]
 * 1) Otoman Empire largely Christians and Jews in the Egyptian region.
 * 2) Safavid had Zoroastrian and Jewish populations and many christian people.
 * 3) Mughal Empire had many different races and religions. Such as Hindus, lots of Muslums, Zoroastrians, Christians, Syncretic, and Sikhism.
 * 4) Portuguese Goa was the center of Christian mission. Built schools for Christian instruction for Indian children.
 * 5) had visions of converting emporer to Christian to spread their faith throughout India.
 * 6) Akbar felt that religion would alienate many of his subjects so he declined it.
 * 7) Akbar was looking for a religion to make cultural foundation for unity. He liked the efforts of Sikhs (elements of Hinduism and Islam).
 * 8) Akbar tried to create his own religion which was basically Islam but a few things twisted. Referred to himself as "lord of wisdom." Said he would show his subjects to the true creator.
 * 9) Islamic Empires did not require conquered peoples to switch to Islam let them stay their own religion.
 * 10) If they payed the tax (jizya dhimmi) they could have their own religion.
 * 11) Mughal was difficult because they had so many different religions. Mughal rulers saved the most powerful military for the Muslums. day to day muslums and hindus were close together.
 * 12) Akbar discarded the jizya which allowed all faiths and started discussing between Muslums, Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians, and Christians.