Unit 3: Land-Based Empires (c. 1450–1750) Flashcards
(21 cards)
Fall of Constantinople
1453 Ottoman dominance begins. The Ottoman Empire, was a powerful Sunni Muslim empire centered in Anatolia that expanded into Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa using gunpowder technology and a strong bureaucracy.
Event: Fall of Constantinople (1453) marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and start of Ottoman dominance.
📝 Use as a core example of a gunpowder empire and multiethnic governance.
Devshirme System
Ottoman policy of taking Christian boys from the Balkans, converting them to Islam, and training them for civil service or military roles (like Janissaries).
Event: Fueled the growth of elite Ottoman institutions in the 15th–17th centuries
Janissaries
Elite infantry unit in the Ottoman army made up of devshirme recruits. Loyal to the sultan and well-trained in firearms.
Event: Played major roles in Ottoman victories like the Battle of Mohács (1526).
Battle of Chaldiran
(1514) — the Ottomans defeated the Safavids using superior gunpowder weapons. Safavid Empire was a
Shi’a Muslim empire based in Persia (Iran). Often in conflict with the Sunni Ottomans. Established Shiism as the state religion
Shah Abbas I
(r. 1588–1629)
The most powerful Safavid ruler. Modernized the army, promoted Persian art and architecture, and strengthened trade ties with Europe.
Event: Built Isfahan into a magnificent capital and centralized Safavid authority.
Mughal Empire
Muslim-ruled empire over a Hindu majority in South Asia. Known for religious tolerance, centralized administration, and cultural achievements.
Event: Founded by Babur in 1526 after the Battle of Panipat.
Akbar the Great
Mughal emperor (r. 1556–1605) famous for promoting religious tolerance, abolishing the jizya tax, and incorporating Hindus into the bureaucracy.
Event: Created a syncretic religion called Din-i-Ilahi (Religion of God).
Din-i-Ilahi
(Religion of God) syncretic religion created by Akbar the Great to promote religious tolerance
Zamindars
Local tax collectors in the Mughal Empire. They were paid with land rights and often grew powerful, contributing to later decentralization.
Event: Akbar tried to keep zamindars accountable through land reforms.
Qing Dynasty
(1644–1912)
Ruled by the Manchus, who conquered China after the fall of the Ming. They adopted Confucian bureaucracy to rule over the Han Chinese majority.
Event: Defeated Ming loyalists and expanded into Xinjiang and Tibet.
Civil Service Exam
(Qing use)
Maintained the Chinese tradition of selecting officials through merit-based exams on Confucian classics.
Event: Continued under Qing rule to legitimize Manchu authority
Gunpowder Empires
Refers to the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires, which used gunpowder artillery and firearms to expand and rule vast, diverse territories.
Event: Each empire’s rise coincided with the decline of nomadic power.
Versailles Palace
Constructed by Louis XIV of France to symbolize absolutist rule and to control the nobility.
Event: Became the center of royal administration and court life in the 17th century.
📝 Use to show how architecture was used to legitimize rule and centralize power
Divine Right of Kings
European belief that monarchs ruled by God’s will. Used to justify absolutism.
Event: Advocated by kings like Louis XIV and challenged during later revolutions
Peter the Great
(r. 1682–1725)
Russian tsar who modernized and westernized Russia, reformed the military, and expanded east and west.
Event: Built St. Petersburg as a “window to the West.”
Table of Ranks
(1722)
Issued by Peter the Great, it ranked Russian nobles based on state service, not birth. Reduced traditional aristocratic power.
Tax Farming
System where governments outsourced tax collection to private individuals. Common in Ottoman and Mughal empires.
Event: Increased corruption and contributed to imperial decline over time
Russian Serfdom
System where peasants were tied to land and owed labor to nobles. Reinforced social hierarchy and rural control.
Event: Legally codified in 1649, abolished only in 1861.
Inquisition (Spain)
Religious court established to enforce Catholic orthodoxy, especially after the Reconquista.
Event: Expulsion of Jews and Muslims (1492) to consolidate Christian identity.
Taj Mahal
Mughal mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his wife. Blended Persian, Islamic, and Indian styles.
Event: Completed around 1648, symbolizing Mughal wealth and culture.
Mexica
(Aztec) Tribute System
The Aztecs collected tribute goods and labor from conquered peoples to support their empire. Demonstrated centralized power and imperial expansion.
Event: Spanish conquest in 1519 dismantled the tribute system and incorporated it into encomienda labor.
