By Katie Bennett
Development of Imperial Islamic Society
- The Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals all relied on bureaucracies that resembled the steppe diplomacy that the Turks and Mongols employed
- Used similar economic policies
- Used similar methods in keeping peace
- All sought to bring legitimacy to their empires through arts and literature as well as keeping up with public welfare
How they Ruled
- Heavily emphasized military
-Appointed and dismissed officials at will
-Created and applied their own policies
- The emperors considered their empires as their own personal property because they conquered it
payment of taxes
Islam
The esteem and dominion of this dynasty came from the piety and military expertise of the ancestors of the past leaders
and heretics (those who teach false doctrine, or preach untruths) that had become very popular with the Turks and the
Mongols
-This led to a great amount of fighting on the steppes
- The Safavids were leaders of a Sufi religious order
- Extremely devoted to Islam, so this made them encourage the spread of it throughout the lands
and heretics (those who teach false doctrine, or preach untruths) that had become very popular with the Turks and the
Mongols
-This led to a great amount of fighting on the steppes
Steppe Diplomacy
- Remember! Steppe Diplomacy- showing bravery in battle, displaying intense loyalty to allies, but having a willingness to betray them whenever it allows one to improve their position
- Successful warriors became poised leaders
- Steppe traditions were reflected in the domineering authority exerted by the rulers of these Islamic empires
- Leaders did as they pleased and disregarded any religious and social norms
-Süleyman was called the Lawgiver by the Ottomans
-Extending far past the Ottomans were the Safavids and Mughals in maintaining spiritual authority
-Shah Ismail forced his subjects to be Shiites
-Akbar even issued a decree allowing him authority in all religious matters and promoted his own religion that
glorified the emperor as much as Islam
Succession Difficulties
Succession of the throne became a colossal problem
rebellion
-One sultan, Mehmed the Conqueror, declared that a ruler could legally kill their brothers after taking power
- Empires were usually broken into states of which were ruled by the emperor's relatives
- Families began competing with each other and killing each other to get a stab at the throne
- Patricide (the killing of one's father) was common in the fight for power
- The worst offender for family controversy was the Mughal Empire
- Safavids also participated in these murderous struggles for power
rebellion
- Ottomans had provinces over which the sons of the sultan governed
-One sultan, Mehmed the Conqueror, declared that a ruler could legally kill their brothers after taking power
Women and Politics
Muslims were agreed that women should have no power or role in public affairs. Despite this, women played a prominent role in these Islamic Empires.
could secure her son's place at the throne
-He built a mausoleum for her after she died that he placed next to his own
Safavid
- The empires followed after Chinggis Khan, who cherished his mother and first wife
- This made it so that the ruler's favorite wife or concubine (mistress) had special benefits and authority
- Süleyman the Magnificent was captivated by a woman named Hürrem Sultana whom he consulted on state policies and many other matters
could secure her son's place at the throne
-He built a mausoleum for her after she died that he placed next to his own
Safavid
- Mahd-e Olya, wife of a shah, became the de facto ruler and attempted to limit the power of the qizilbash
- The aunt of another shah used her own money to pay for an army that would quash a rebellion when he neglected to take action
- Mughal emperor Jahangir was willing to let his wife Nur Jahan be in control of the government
- Muslim Aurangzeb consulted his daughter on politics
- Shah Jahan was so devoted to his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, that he built the Taj Mahal, a mosque and tomb, for her
This video goes into detail on the Imperial Islamic Society and is made specially for AP World History! It is quite lengthy, and I'm sorry about that, but it's just a little addition if you would like to use it as a resource.