Gunpowder Glory
What are the 3 gunpowder empires?
Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal
What is divine right?
The idea that monarchs are chosen by God to rule
What is devshirme?
A system where Christian boys were taken, converted, and trained as elite soldiers (Janissaries)
Compare Safavid and Ottoman religion.
Safavid = Shi’a; Ottoman = Sunni (tensions over succesor)
Who was Louis XIV?
Absolute monarch of France, built Versailles
What tech helped these empires expand?
Cannons, gunpowder weapons
What was the Taj Mahal built to represent?
Symbol of power and religious devotion (also a tomb for Mumtaz Mahal)
What did zamindars do?
Collected taxes for the Mughal Empire
Compare Qing and Russian governance.
Qing = Confucian hierarchy; Russia = centralized autocracy under tsars
Who was Akbar the Great?
Mughal emperor known for religious tolerance and reform
Which empire used janissaries?
Ottoman Empire
What religion did the Safavid Empire promote?
Shi’a Islam
What made the Qing Dynasty’s rule legitimate?
Claimed the Mandate of Heaven; preserved Confucian bureaucracy
How were Songhai and Ottoman similar?
Both relied on military power and Islam to some extent
Which empire did Peter the Great rule?
Russia
What was Suleiman I known for?
Legal reforms, territorial expansion, architectural achievements (e.g., Suleymaniye Mosque)
What caused the Sunni-Shi’a split?
Disputes over Muhammad’s successor
What’s one method Russia used to centralize power?
Built St. Petersburg, modernized army, reduced power of boyars
What do all land-based empires share?
Use of gunpowder, bureaucracy, monumental architecture, religion for legitimacy
What made Ivan IV "terrible"?
Harsh rule, secret police, expanded territory, murdered his son
Explain one military rivalry from this period.
Safavid-Mughal rivalry or Morocco-Songhai conflict OR Sunni Shia Conflict
Compare the role of religion in Mughal vs. Ottoman rule.
syncretism & tolerance; Ottoman = Sunni Islam with sultan-caliph authority
Name 2 ways empires collected taxes.
Tribute system, tax farming, salaried bureaucracies
To what extent were land-based empires more alike or different?
Argument should highlight similarities (military tech, bureaucracy) and differences (religious tolerance, succession)
Create a thesis comparing ANY two land-based empires.
Accept any clear, comparative thesis using relevant empire evidence