History

Empires of Splendor and Might

The age of Gunpowder Empires in the early modern world applies to many states that expand rapidly during the time. Some of the important states are, Spain, Portugal, the Ottman Empire, the Safavid Empire and the Mughal Empire but also include Japan and Ming, Qing China. There are three empires in early 1500s focusing on their military exploits that are impressive. They are Ottman Empire, Safavid Empire and Mughal Empire. The Ottman Empire lasted the longest of the three empires. The Ottman was ruled by Mehmed and he expanded into southern Europe. At the time when he captures the Constantinople in 1453, it brought the end of the Byzantine Empire and becomes the capital of the Ottman Empire. Janissaries was the key to Ottman power because they were non-Muslim boys received by the Sultan’s government in the devshirme which is about Christian youths are taken into the Sultan’s service in a quota system. They were slaves but well educated by the government. The janissaries were the only soldiers who given gunpowder weapons. The Ottman then declined raised because of its corruption of government and rebellions. The Safavid Empire raised after which ruled Persia and capital at Isfahan founded by Shah Ismail. He claimed the “Twelve Shiites” and imposed it on Sunni population. Babur was the founder of Mughal Empire from 1523 to 1530. Akbar then reigned the Mughal who is a wise, pragmatic and successful ruler. He is a Muslim and encouraged religious tolerance between Muslims and Hindus. From the reading, we read about Aurangzeb who is the great grandchildren of Akbar and has different religious attitudes from Akbar. Akbar is known for his liberal ideas and liberal religious policy. He adopted ideas of different followers of different faith and equality of all religions. However, his great grandchildren who has also been an emperor completely revised the religious policy of him. He only believed in Sunnis and destroyed all images of Hindu...